Windemere Best Man, Inverness Raceway's 2023 Horse of the Year, earned his first victory of the new meet in the soggy Sunday, June 2 feature with a wire-to-wire effort for driver Redmond Doucet and trainer Lanny Hanscombe.

Windemere Best Man was the best of the bunch, leading all the way over the 'good' track for the 2:00.3 victory in the $2,000 Winners Over Pace for local owners Simon Poirier and Chad MacDonnell. Chasing the gate away from post five, the six-year-old Malicious-Art Blanche gelding blasted out to a seven-length lead through a :28.2 opening quarter then coasted through middle splits of :58.2 and 1:29.4 to a 1-1/4-length victory.

A seven-time winner from 23 starts last year, Windemere Best Man made his return to the Inverness winner's circle after a runner-up finish in his season's debut last week. He paid $8.90 to win as the 7-2 third choice in the field of a half dozen.

Favoured Sunshine Lou (Danny Gillis), who won the top class on the Opening Day card a week ago, was just edged out for second here as 12-1 longshot Windmeredontmatter (Rodney Gillis) got the jump on him first-over with a lap to go.

Windemere Best Man has now earned 18 wins from 80 lifetime starts and $36,964 in purses.

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

(Standardbred Canada)