Undefeated two-year-olds Jackies Boy and Tobins Chester headlined the third leg of Atlantic Sires Stakes for the freshman pacers on Sunday afternoon (July 30) at Inverness Raceway.

Both two-year-olds were 1:57.4 wide-open winners over the 'good' track in their respective stakes races, tying for the fastest time across the day's six $9,000 A divisions.

Trainer/driver Myles Heffernan's homebred Jackies Boy romped to an 18-length victory in his division, setting fractional times of :29.4, :57.1 and 1:27.1 along the way. Sonny Jax (Corey MacPherson) edged out Bethereinabit (Mark Bradley) in the race for place.

The popular Tobago Cays-Dusty Lane Bria gelding has made two Sires Stakes starts in his career, winning both, for the Montague, P.E.I. horseman.

Trained and driven by Jason Hughes, even-money favourite Tobins Chester left hard from post five in his division and was parked through a :28.4 quarter before tucking in the pocket behind a persistent Merigo Magic (Adam Merner). It was two-horse breakway from there as they raced one-two through middle splits of :57.4 and 1:28.2 before Tobins Chester blew by off the final turn to win under wraps by 5-3/4 lengths. Following a victory in round two, Merigo Magic settled for second this time out while Dusty Lane Tito (Paul Langille) completed the top three finish order.

Tobins Chester has been perfect through the first three legs of the Atlantic Sires Stakes to lead the point standings for colts and geldings. Bred by Wendell Williams of Ellerslie, P.E.I., the Shanghai Phil-Putnam MacKenzie gelding was purchased for $40,000 from the Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale by Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.

Hughes scored a stakes double with MacRae's homebred Shesjusmsundrstood taking her filly division in 2:01.1. The Malicious-Bunny Mach miss was a repeat winner in the Sires Stakes and has finished no worse than second in her first three starts to lead the filly division's point standings. Timberlea Lady (Jaycob Sweet) finished 2-3/4 lengths behind in second and Worth Repeating (Bernand McCallum) was third.

Trainer/driver Marc Campbell also doubled up in stakes action with a winner from each of the colt and filly divisions. 

Pauls Crown and Campbell collared mid-race leader Check Your Chip (Heffernan) with a quarter-mile to go en route to a maiden-breaking victory in 2:00.2 for owners Grayland Farm of Gulf Shore, N.S. and Joseph Gamba of Pugwash, N.S. Making his third career start, the Hilarious Halo-Ny Lotto gelding won by three-quarters of a length with early leader Tobins Barn Party (Hughes) re-rallying to nab the runner-up honours over the favoured first-round winner Check Your Chip.   

Last Chance was also a first-time winner for Campbell, scoring in 2:01.1. No one could get close to the Arthur Blue Chip-Philotes Nourrir filly, who won her third career start by three lengths for owners Jeff Valley of Thornton, Ont. and Philip Valley of Vernon River, P.E.I. Zendayas Firstlady (Hughes) and second leg winner Oh Artleigh (Darren Crown) completed the top three finish order.

Driven by Paul Langille, Eenymeenyminymoe was the fastest filly in 2:00.3 by 1-1/2 lengths to claim her second straight Sires Stakes win after wearing down co-favourite Galway Girl (Campbell), who was edged out in a photo for place at the end by Rollwithitdarling (MacPherson) and Waterford Girl (Redmond Doucet). Owned and trained by Alexander Baird of Trenton, N.S., the homebred daughter of Arthur Blue Chip and Galamoe is now two-for-three to start her career.

There was a single $4,000 B division for the colts on the card and Jack Boswall (Tobago Cays-Someshoresomewhere) claimed his second straight win for trainer Jeff Holmes and owners Mark MacDonell and Keith MacDonell of Port Hood, N.S., and Blenise Young of Long Point, N.S.  Redmond Doucet sent the gelding wire-to-wire in 2:05.4. 

Rotten Ronnie closed out Sunday's 14-race card with a speedy score in the $2,800 Johnny And Margaret Allan Ian Memorial Pace.

The five-year-old stallion fought Sunshine Lou (Walter Walker) for the lead through first half fractions of :27.4 and :55.4 then took off during the final lap to win by 14-1/4 lengths in 1:54.4, matching his own track record for an aged pacing horse and coming with three-fifths of a second of gelding Formal Affair's overall male record.

Local driver Redmond Doucet owns the son of Malicious-Victory Cry with Andy Stewart while Lennan MacIsaac handles the training duties. A career winner of 17 races, Rotten Ronnie is two-for-two to kick off his current campaign.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.