Partnering with Navalny for the first time, Ken Murphy was all smiles in the winner’s circle after Sunday afternoon's Preferred Pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Melissa Rennie-trained pacer was first to the lead in the featured $3,500 pace as Burn Out Hanover (Brady Sweet) left hard from the outside of the starting gate and had to press forward to the lead. Navalny released last week’s winner to the front to sit second and Burn Out Hanover kept rolling through splits of :28, :56.2 and 1:25.3. Navalny sat brave in the two-hole and moved out to power by in the final quarter and fend off a hard-closing Stash It Away (Gilles Barrieau) to win by a nose in 1:55.1. Mantario (David Dowling) was third.
Dale and Ronnie Rennie of Elmsdale, P.E.I. hold the ownership papers on the winning son of Control The Moment.
Murphy and Rennie teamed up to win earlier on the program as Checkers Pride circled the field in race nine to win by four lengths in 1:59.4. Midnight MacNeill supplied the first third of Murphy’s driving triple in a 2:00.1 score in race six.
Kenny Arsenault doubled up as a trainer/driver on the first part of the 13-dash card, winning with JK Last Chance (1:57.2) and Hippyjohn (2:00.4).
Live racing continues Dec. 3-4 at Red Shores Charlottetown.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
(With files from Red Shores)