Arbitrage Hanover paced the fastest mile of all time at Summerside Raceway as he broke the all-age track record while defeating odds-on favourite Miki Shan N in his $12,500 Governor's Plate elimination on Sunday, July 12.
Driver Kenny Murphy couldn't have scripted the trip any better. After drawing post two in the second elimination to next Saturday's $50,000 final, Murphy and Arbitrage Hanover got away in the coveted two-hole behind pacesetter Ammo (Marc Campbell). He took the garden trip through fractions of :27.3, :55.2 and 1:23.1, while defending Governor's Plate champion Miki Shan N (Corey MacPherson) was forced to grind first-over through the middle stages.
"I got my wheel down in front of Miki Shan N at the start and then Ammo comes, and I'm just smiling from ear to ear because I get the best horse in the race to follow," Murphy said. "Then Miki Shan N came first-over on Ammo, and they're both battling. I said, 'Perfect, Corey (MacPherson), just keep on pushing.' I had lots of horse and still had the ear plugs in. At the top of the turn, I tipped him, kicked the plugs out and smiled as we went by."
When Murphy angled Arbitrage Hanover off the pylons coming into the stretch, the Bettors Wish-Ana Hanover gelding responded with vigour, pacing to a 1:50.3 victory by 1-1/2 lengths over Miki Shan N, with Ammo holding third. Jmr Speak Away (Gilles Barrieau) finished fourth to also earn a spot in the final.
The clocking erased the former standard of 1:51.1 set by Roll Em in his 2023 Governor’s Plate elimination. The connections of Arbitrage Hanover will hope history repeats, as Roll Em went on to win the final convincingly.
The victory came after a patient approach from Murphy and his father, trainer Clifford Murphy, along with the ownership group of Ken Hardie of Bedford, N.S. and Glenn and Justin Hardie of Middle Sackville, N.S. They resisted rushing the horse back after health issues when he landed on P.E.I. earlier this season.
"They're animals,” Murphy said. “They get sick on us, and at the end of the day the owners were just saying, 'Do whatever you need to do. The horse comes first. What will be, will be.’ Good horses and good owners make good horses. They gave us the time to work on the horse and figure him out. I have to say thank you to the Hardies for letting us do that."
Arbitrage Hanover reached the winner's circle for the first time this season in 13 starts. The five-year-old was racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park until he was acquired by the Hardies in the spring. The gelding is now 13-for-60 lifetime with $550,717. He paid $10.10 to win.
Murphy, who always comes off the track with a smile and positive comments on the horses he drives, was also quick to credit the owners and trainers who supplied him with his 1,316 career wins to date and continue to support him every week.
"Everyone puts 110 per cent into the horse and you try your best,” Murphy said. “The people you drive for watch their horses race and they see what happens. They don’t need a play by play from me after the race. If it doesn't work out, then next week will. We're just the drivers — we're not perfect. At the end of the day, if I screwed up, I'll get them next week."
While strategy and horsepower are vital in Invitational-level events, Murphy believes one factor will dictate who wins Saturday’s coveted $50,000 final, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge.
"Draw. That's all it is—the draw. You've got to have the draw," he said. "If you don't have the draw, nothing else matters in these kinds of races.”
Get Wings slugged out a two-length victory in 1:52.4 in the first elimination for trainer Vaughan Doyle. Marc Campbell had the stallion three-wide throughout a :27.3 first quarter to take the lead from local favourite Doc Awesome (Adam Merner). Get Wings then reached the half in :55 and rebuffed the first-over Blood Money (Mike Downey) on the way to three-quarters in 1:24.1. The leader also fended off Hellabalou (Paul Langille) on the final turn and neutralized pocket-sitter Doc Awesome down the lane to prevail. Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes) was third with The Tulsa King (Corey MacPherson) finishing fourth to make the final.
Get Wings has won four races in a row against top-level competition on P.E.I. and is five-for-six since moving to the Island for owners Gary Ford of Stratford, P.E.I. and Janet Kinney of Wheatley River, P.E.I. The four-year-old son of Bettors Wish-The Captains Angel upped his 2026 tally to nine wins from 23 starts and is now 16-for-46 lifetime with $190,390 in earnings. He paid $2.60 to win.
Lady Cafe Au Lait secured her eighth straight victory with a track-record-equalling performance in the second $9,000 Ruby Chappell Memorial elimination for pacing mares. She flew wide into the first turn from post seven to sweep to command for Marc Campbell and did it all herself, pacing fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:26.2. The Earl Watts trainee took off as she entered the final turn, lengthening her lead to 3-3/4 lengths by the wire and stopping the timer in 1:53.1. Sugar Bowl (Brady Sweet) finished second, followed by Badgirl Bridgette (Jason Huges) and More Than A Woman (Paul Langille).
Lady Cafe Au Lait tied the record for an older female pacer, joining Woodmere Skyroller (2021), Share The Moment (2022) and Get Answers (2025) in posting a 1:53.1 mile at Summerside.
The four-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Lady Latte is unbeaten in six starts on P.E.I. after winning her last two appearances in Ontario in March. Windemere Farms of Springvale, P.E.I. and Matt and David Burke of Stratford own the mare, who is 10-for-13 this year and 17-for-50 lifetime with $245,652 in the bank. Her win price was $3.30.
The other Ruby Chappell Memorial elimination went to Redland Misspretty ($15.60), who went down the road through fractions of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:24.1 to win by two lengths in 1:53.2 for driver Langille. Windemere Saddy (Murphy) was second, Rosetown Mary (MacPherson) finished third and Sweet Molly (Barrieau) completed the top four.
Redland Misspretty secured her second win this season in eight starts. The six-year-old Source Of Pride-Woodmere Nora mare has earned $84,803 lifetime and won 18 of 85 starts for trainer Kyle Williams and owners Brian MacGregor of Bedford, Rebecca Blaisdell of Inverness, N.S. and Howard Anderson of Trenton, N.S.
The day was one to remember for rookie trainer Grace Sorrie as Howmac Maximus ($7.70) and driver Jeremy Baker gave the Montague, P.E.I. native her first win as a conditioner. Howmac Maximus, a seven-year-old son of Articulator-Scirocco Miley Kay, went to the lead from post three and clashed with Navalny (Brady Sweet) through :27.3 and :55 opening panels. Sorrie's trainee shrugged the foe off going to three-quarters in 1:24.1 and held off pocket-sitter Howmac Exclusive (MacPherson) to win by two lengths in 1:53.2 in the $4,200 conditioned event. No Money Honey (Campbell) finished third. The winner tallied his first victory of the year in 12 tries and is now 21-for-104 lifetime with $109,611 in earnings.
Sorrie made her debut five days ago when she took over the conditioning duties on Howmac Maximus, whom she has owned since 2024. The gelding finished second in the July 7 event and has his trainer's record at 2-1-1-0 for a 0.778 UTRS.
Langille had four wins on the 12-race card as a driver. Trainer Kyle Williams doubled, and Jaycob Sweet scored two wins as a trainer-driver.
Live racing continues with Governor’s Plate Week action on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Red Shores Summerside.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)