Malek Hanover was the last horse to the quarter pole in Monday’s $4,000 Walter Dale Memorial at Fredericton Raceway, but he was first to the finish line thanks in large part to a :29.1 closing quarter that helped propel him to the narrow win.
With Todd Trites at the controls, Malek Hanover got away sixth from Post 6 while Windemere Express shot to the top from Post 3 and supplied the field with fractions of :27.4, :55.4 and 1:26. The leader was pressed in the first half by the parked out Grimsby, and then came under attack from Nakai Hanover in the third quarter.
Malek Hanover enjoyed a second-over trip behind Nakai Hanover, and when Trites pulled the trigger the veteran responded in the late stages of the contest. He got up to win by a head over Windemere Express, with Nakai Hanover settling for third prize.
Bo Sowers trains Malek Hanover, a career winner in excess of $240,000, for Ledgehill Farm Ltd of Arnprior, ON. The nine-year-old son of Western Hanover-Michelles Heart owns a 4-1-0 record from 12 trips to the track this season and he’s a 42-time winner to date.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Fredericton Raceway.