Sunshine Lou Wires Top Inverness Pacers; A Perfect Start For Poirier

Sunshine Lou winning at Inverness Raceway

Sunshine Lou led all the way for his second victory of the meet in the top Winners Over pacing class at Inverness Raceway on a sunny Sunday, June 9.

Driven by Danny Gillis, Sunshine Lou fired off the gate from post two for the lead in the $2,000 feature ahead of insider Southfield Sandy (Lewis MacDonell), with last week's winner Windemere Best Man (Redmond Doucet) appearing a tad steppy as he landed in third leaving for position from the five post. Sunshine Lou basked in the afternoon sunshine as he cruised uncontested through fractions of :30.1, 1:00.3 and 1:30.2 en route to victory in 1:59.1. With Windemere Best Man faltering first-up turning down the backstretch and pulling up, Eastcoast Invader (Monica Sutherland) took up the chase from behind but could only make it within 3-3/4 lengths of the winner on the line. Lyons Swift (John MacDonald) passed Southfield Sandy in the stretch to grab third-place honours.

Now two-for-three on the season, the eight-year-old Sunshine Beach gelding is trained by Raymond 'Junior' MacKinnon, who also co-owns with his wife Leah. Sunshine Lou picked up his 21st career win.

Sunshine Lou, a winner on Opening Day and third-place finisher in last week's edition, paid $7.20 to win as the post time favourite in the field of six.

Earlier on the card, Madison Poirier made her first career start as a trainer a winning one when her five-year-old pacer La Playa Deo ($7.50) won the $1,300 second race. The 22-year-old Inverness, N.S. resident took over the training from co-owner Erland Campbell for the Sunday start in which La Playa Deo and driver Danny Gillis led gate to wire, holding off the pylon-skimming favourite Real Bigg (Ardon Mofford) and late-closer Eastcoast Ms Haney (Monica Sutherland) in 2:01.2.

Poirier also won her next start in the $1,500 sixth race, sending out Delightful Wine ($5.60) to a three-length victory in 1:59.4 with Redmond Doucet working out the winning trip. Poirier and Campbell also co-own that six-year-old pacer.

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

(Standardbred Canada)

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