Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Malevolent was back in the Atlantic Sires Stakes spotlight as the glamour boys opened their 2025 season on Sunday, June 22 at Inverness Raceway.
Among Sunday afternoon's stakes action, Inverness hosted the Atlantic Sires Stakes opening leg for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a pair of $14,080 'A' divisions.
Defending champion Malevolent, campaigned by trainer/driver Paul Langille, was the fastest division winner in 1:55.2. Langille made an early move with Malevolent, sweeping from an early three-hole to the top as they hit the quarter in :29. The 2-5 favourite led the rest of the way, setting fractions of :57.2 and 1:27.2 en route to the two-length victory. Early leaver Phil My Beer (Marc Campbell) followed in second with Like A King (David Dowling) chasing well back in third after an early miscue.
Malevolent is now two-for-three to start his sophomore season after winning nine of his 10 starts as a freshman. The Malicious-Lady Kelleigh Anne gelding is on the verge of the $100,000 earnings mark for owners Debbie Francis of Sweets Corner, N.S., and Rosanne Langille of Lower Onslow, N.S.
Rosetown Eclipse, a runner-up in the Atlantic Breeders Crown, was victorious in the other division for trainer/driver Corey MacPherson. With the inside post advantage, the even-money favourite established the lead into a :30.1 opening quarter then faced a challenge from All My Lovin (Marc Campbell) through middle splits of :59.1 and 1:28.3. He fended off that foe and the pylon-skimming Here On Earth (Paul Langille) through the lane to prevail by half a length in 1:57.1.
A disqualified first-place finisher in the Donnie & George Turner Memorial Stakes in his mid-May season's debut, Rosetown Eclipse earned his first official victory in four races this year. He now sports a career record reading 4-4-3 in 15 starts with earnings amounting to $64,136. The gelding by Bet The Moon out of Brodys Leona is owned by Rosetown Stable of Stratford, P.E.I., James Gorman of South Melville, P.E.I., and Mike Gorman of Corner Brook, Nfld.
A pair of $6,000 'B' divisions were won by Clayton and Joseph McCombs's Miramichi Charlie (Malicious-Exclamation) in 1:57 with Ernie Laffin in the sulky for trainer Danny Romo and Michael Clarey's Bentley (Pang Shui-Western) in 1:57.3 with Marc Campbell driving for trainer John Clarey.
The three-year-old male pacers will head to Truro Raceway for their second Sires Stakes leg on July 11.
Fresh off a victory in the opening leg of the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies earlier this month at Truro Raceway, Howmac Maleficent turned in another stakes triumph for her connections, taking a $10,220 division of the Phil Pinkney Memorial in 1:58.4. Ryan Desroche picked up the catch-drive on the favoured Malicious-General Luckypercy filly and they led through fractions of :31.3, 1:01 and 1:30.3 before holding off the backstretch pocket-popping Mindbodyandsoul (Mark Campbell) by a quarter of a length at the end, with Lady Hess (Corey MacPherson) recovering from an early miscue to show.
The Joseph Baxter trainee has been perfect in her first three sophomore starts, having also won a P.E.I. Colt Stakes division in her May 25 season's debut, for owner Peter Garnet Gilby of Lantz, N.S.
Talldarklatte romped to a 1:58.2 victory in the other Pinkney division, drawing away from her rivals by 6-3/4 lengths in rein to Brodie MacPhee. The bettors' choice led at every call with fractions clocked in :30.1, 1:00.3 and 1:30.1 before accelerating home in :28.1. Saulsbrook Inferno (Marc Campbell) followed in second and Blue Jean Baby (Ernie Laffin) was the best of the rest a distant third.
Tom Weatherbie trains the Tall Dark Stranger-Outtathisworld filly, who earned her third win in seven starts this year, for owner Redland Farms of Bible Hill, N.S.
The weekly $2,000 Winners Over Pace was won by Inverness newcomer Going Yard in 1:58.3 with David Dowling working out a perfect pocket trip for the George Rennison-trained mare after a recall at the start, going three-wide off the final turn and defeating pacesetter Windemere Best Man (Redmond Doucet) by 1-1/2 lengths with first-over challenger Eastcoast Invader (Monica Sutherland) settling for third.
The race followed a recall that was prompted by Rockemsockem Scott (Gerard Kennedy) causing interference to Windemere Best Man behind the gate. Light My Shadow, the favourite on the board leading up to the start, became a runaway on Zach Mullins after that and was subsequently scratched after going two laps of the track at full tilt.
Live harness racing resumes at Inverness on Wednesday, June 24 with post time set for 7 p.m. (ADT).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)