Dan Dar Mal Does It Again
Five-year-old distaffer Dan Dar Mal led at every call on her way to a second straight victory in the Sunday afternoon featured pace at Inverness Raceway.
Trained and driven by Alex MacNeil, Dan Dar Mal fired to the lead off the gate from post four in the $1,400 top class event and led the field of six through a 29-second opening quarter with favourite Rockemsockem Scott in the two-hole and Windmeredontmatter parked out the entire way.
Dan Dar Mal carved out middle splits of :57.3 and 1:28.1 before holding clear of the pocket-pulling Rockemsockem Scott down the stretch to win in 1:58.1 by one length. Big Engine finished third ahead of Windmeredontmatter.
After a 1:56.4 career-best effort last Sunday, Dan Dar Mal defeated her male rivals once again and returned $7.30 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
The Betterthancheddar-Little Wubbs mare now has five wins from 11 seasonal starts and nine victories lifetime for owner/breeder Kevin Gillis of Windsor, Ont.
One race earlier, veteran pacing mare Southwest Bliss reached a milestone, recording her 50th lifetime victory with Andrew MacLean in the sulky.
Sent postward as the longest shot on the board, the 11-year-old daughter of Blissfull Hall and Jet West circled her foes to prevail by one length in 1:59.1, returning $19.40 for the upset win. Favourite Eastwardho Fun and Lo Lo Lo Logan finished second and third, respectively.
Southwest Bliss, who has been trained by owner Alex MacDonald since she arrived at Inverness at 2019, has earned $112,934 through 250 career starts.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.