Brookdale Johnny would not be denied on Tuesday, July 29, fending off heavy favourite Tony Too Tall in the stretch drive to win the feature at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.
Driver Paul Langille moved the five-year-old son of Rockin In Heaven-Brookdale Gia to the front past the opening quarter in the $4,700 Winners Over Pace and controlled the tempo through panels of :29.2, :58.2 and 1:27.4. Despite early pressure from Tony Too Tall (Myles Heffernan Jr.), who sat in the pocket throughout and launched a serious bid in the stretch, Brookdale Johnny dug in and prevailed by half a length in 1:56.2. Sauble Attack (Ken Murphy) rounded out the top three.
Owned and bred by Doug Polley Jr., and Doug Polley Sr., of Amherst, N.S., Brookdale Johnny is trained by Phil Sizer. He paid $5.90 to win.
Langille was a four-time winner on the program, capturing the race 16 finale with First Glance ($43.70) from the Devon Wallace barn in a 1:56.3 clocking, race eight aboard Starship Glyde ($13.50) in 1:55.1 for trainer Earl Watts and race two in a deadheat driving Mandys Last Dance ($3) from the Chris MacKay stable in a 2:01 maiden-breaking score.
The other half of that race two deadheat was Mikita (Corey MacPherson) for trainer Blaine McKenna, paying $2.10 to win. MacPherson also won with his own Jackie Pang ($19) in 1:58.3 in race one, as well as race 14 with the Jason Biggar-trained Tobins Future ($8.20) in 1:56.3 for the driving triple.
Jaycob Sweet doubled up as trainer/driver with Timberlea Lady ($7.30) in a 1:58.2 clocking in race 13 and James Reigns ($36) in 1:56.3 in race nine.
David Dowling put together a four-win performance in the race bike to now sit in a tie for first in the driving standings with MacPherson at 29 wins each. Dowling hit the wire first with We Danced Anyway ($2.10) in 1:59.4 for trainer Dwane MacEachern in race six, Twisted Joke ($5) in 1:59.1 for Sifroi Melanson in race 10, Almanac ($2.40) from the Jennifer Doyle stable in 1:58.1 in race 11 and Swordfromthestone ($12.70) in race 12 for conditioner Donald Sweet.
Live harness racing continues Thursday evening at 6 p.m. (ADT), at Red Shores Charlottetown.
To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Summerside Raceway.
(With files from Red Shores)