Malevolent was a repeat winner in the P.E.I. Colt Stakes Graduate Series as he equalled his lifetime mark of 1:52.3 in the $8,500 Gold second leg on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Charlottetown Driving Park.
Trainer/driver Paul Langille bypassed an early two-hole opening and sent Malevolent to the top in a :27.2 first quarter then proceeded to call the shots through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:25.1 en route to 1-1/4-length victory. Brookdale Johnny (Ken Murphy) sprinted his last quarter in :26.3 to edge out Phil My Beer (Marc Campbell) in the race for place.
Malevolent, who also took the July 4 leg of the series and is now three-for-nine in his four-year-old campaign, paid $5.40 to win as the 8-5 second choice. A career winner of 19 races in 33 starts and $207,776, the gelding by Malicious out of Lady Kelleigh Anne is owned by Debbie Francis of Sweets Corner, N.S., and Rosanne Langille of Lower Onslow, N.S.
Drawing outside of his five foes in the weekly $6,250 Preferred Pace, Ammo and driver Marc Campbell took a second-panel tuck into third then went an overland route to victory lane, holding off favourite Miki Shan N (Corey MacPherson), who closed from last only to miss by a head in the 1:52 mile. Governor's Plate champion Get Wings (Langille) nabbed third prize in the five-across finish.
Ammo returned $7.40 to win as the 5-2 third choice. A former Breeders Crown champion, the six-year-old son of Sweet Lou-Beach Gal has won half of his six starts since being purchased in late May by local owner Patrick Morris and Woodmere Farms of Marshfield, P.E.I. and arriving in the stable of Ron Matheson. The lifetime winner of 23 races is approaching millionaire status, with $993,414 banked thus far in his career.
Local trainer Wade Myers' homebred three-year-old pacer Shanghai Whiskey lowered his lifetime mark to 1:54.1 in his sixth straight victory. Adam Merner picked up the catch-drive on the streaking Shanghai Phil-Julep Hanover gelding, who led at every call in a $4,450 conditioned pace and held off the inside charge from pocket-pursuer Bayonetta (Marc Campbell) by three-quarters of a length.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(Standardbred Canada)