Governor Malibu rules in $100,000 Gander S.

Governor Malibu, a 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon who had never been off the board in four starts prior to Saturday, upped his record with a solid 2 ½-length win in the first running of the $100,000 Gander S. at Aqueduct.

Coming off a dominating six-length maiden special weight score in mid-November, Governor Charlie was full of run in the Aqueduct stretch, drawing clear in the final furlong after dueling for the better part of seven panels with Sudden Surprise, who could not go with the winner in deep stretch.

The final time for the one mile and 70 yards was 1:44.78 on the “good” inner dirt surface.

Trained by Christophe Clement for Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stable, Governor Malibu placed in the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow S. in the race prior to his maiden win and is now 2-2-1 in five outings and has earned $149,600.

The chestnut New York bred colt is the first foal out of the two-time stakes-winning mare Akilina. Clement purchased him for $135,000 out of the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-year-old sale.