It was an emotional win for the connections of Sweet Soul David in the 2020 Balanced Image Trot on Saturday (August 22) at Hanover Raceway.

An elimination winner one week ago, Sweet Soul David was the only returning victor as morning line choice Arch Hall was scratched from the $50,000 Final.

Sweet Soul David looked like a seasoned professional among the eight rookie trotters that lined up, clearing to the top early and easily before reaching the first quarter in :29.2. Driver Denis St. Pierre was able to ratchet down the tempo and trotted smoothly through a middle half with splits of 1:01.2 and 1:31.2. With Deihard Seelster (Shawn Steacy) not far from the leader's helmet, Sweet Soul David found another gear turning for home and opened up around the final turn. St. Pierre kept the trotter on task and he crossed under the wire seven lengths the best with a salute to the sky. The time of the mile was a lifetime best 2:00.3, with Diehard Seelster and Tymal Chrome (Scott Coulter) completing the top three.

"He's such a solid and smart trotter and easy to drive," St. Pierre noted after the win. "I was pretty confident, one of the best ones was scratched...everything was open for me."

St. Pierre also explained to COSA TV's Jaimi MacDonald the reason behind the salute across the wire.

"That [salute] was for my son David, who passed away two years ago," said St. Pierre through tears in the winner's circle. "I would like to thank Pat Lang for letting me drive the horse. He [and his wife Lise] named the horse with me and I would like to thank them. And I'd like to thank Paul MacDonell, who was the original driver. When I won last week, he said to Pat 'let Denis drive in the Final' and that was very kind of him."

Sweet Soul David (Kadabra - A Sundae On Sunday) is co-owned by trainer Pat Lang with Dewitt Stables of Little Britain, Paul Kleinpaste of Orangeville and Garth Bechtel of Meaford, Ont. Now two-for-five as a freshman, Sweet Soul David now boasts $37,095 in earnings.

The undercard of the 2020 Balanced Image Trot featured the $8,500 Walker Memorial Invitational Trot. Rail control for Scene A Magician and driver Greg Dustin certainly helped his cause, going gate-to-wire to hold off a valiant effort from Sizzlen Hot Herbie (Natasha Day) by a head to win in 1:57.3.

Now six, Scene A Magician (Daylon Magician - Scene Duharas) trotted to one-fifth off his lifetime mark for trainer-owner Jennifer Pinkerton of Mount Brydges, Ont. The win was his 15th lifetime and lifted his earnings just shy of the $200,000 mark.

To view the results from Saturday card of harness racing at Hanover, click the following link: Saturday Results
- Hanover Raceway.