Bounty Hunter showed no signs of rust off the bench, grinding out a first-over victory to take the $4,550 Preferred 2 Pace on Saturday, May 24 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Lining up from post five in the seventh race feature, the Kenny Arsenault-trained and driven pacer settled third early before angling first-over up the backside to engage pacesetter Jewels Dragon (driven by Marc Campbell). The pair traded blows through the final turn, but Bounty Hunter ($3.60) surged ahead late to stop the clock in 1:55.4 for owner Kevin Harvey of Halifax, N.S. Rose Run X Con (Norris Rogers) charged home to finish second ahead of Tradition (Adam Merner).
The win was the 11th lifetime for the son of Huntsville, pushing his earnings past $249,000.
Veteran campaigner Blood Money ($2.50) proved too much for his ninth race rivals, taking the $4,000 event in a 1:53.2 performance with Tony Too Tall (Myles Heffernan Jr.) falling a neck short in second. Sent straight to the top by Gilles Barrieau, the Ron Matheson-trained Blood Money rolled through fractions of :27.2, :55.4, and 1:24.4 for owner Dr. Mitchell Downey of Saint John, N.B. JK Last Chance (Arsenault) finished a strong third.
Almanac ($3.10) turned in a blowout victory in the third race, stopping the clock in 1:54 for trainer Jenn Doyle and first-time owner Ryan McLaughlin of Cornwall. A former Open level pacer at Northfield Park in Ohio, Almanac recorded his 24th career win, this time in line to David Dowling.
For results from Saturday's card of harness racing in Prince Edward Island, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(with files from Red Shores)