Former Breeders Crown champion and millionaire pacer American History successfully defended his title in the $8,000 Kelti Burnett Memorial on Friday, Aug. 2 with an all-age track record performance at Connell Park's Woodstock Raceway.

American History paced the fastest mile in Woodstock Raceway history, winning in 1:52 and knocking two full seconds off the all-age track record that had stood for two days shy of 18 years. Chewy Gross held the former record, set in the 2006 Robert McCain Memorial Invitational.

The nine-year-old American Ideal-Perfect Touch gelding is campaigned by the husband and wife, driver and trainer team of Dale and MacKenzie Spence for owner Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B.

American History, a 1:47 pacer who has been racing in Ontario, returned to the scene of his 2023 Burnett triumph leading up to an expected repeat appearance in the upcoming Gold Cup & Saucer Trials on Prince Edward Island.

Sent postward as the odds-on favourite, American History led a field of five through fractions of :27, :56.1 and 1:24 before drawing off by 6-1/4 lengths with a :28 final frame to win for the 46th time in his career. Twin B Tuffenuff, the 2-1 second choice driven by Gilles Barrieau, closed for second over pocket-pursuer Tony Too Tall and Myles Heffernan. American History paid $3.30 to win.

While Barrieau settled for second in the featured finale, the New Brunswick native racked up six wins on the undercard with a sweep of the other stakes events and a pair of record performances. 

Among his victories, Barrieau swept the second leg of the New Brunswick Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts with Majestic Mason and House Edge Hanover dominating their respective $8,000 divisions in 1:57.2 matching miles.

Majestic Mason's closest competitor was the Todd Trites-driven Resuscitate, finishing 5-1/2 lengths behind. Richard Armstrong trains the winning Arthur Blue Chip-Beautiful In Blue gelding, who took a new lifetime mark, for owner/breeder Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B.

House Edge Hanover topped St Barts and Colin DeCourcey by 7-3/4 lengths for trainer Ron Matheson and owner Everette Hanson of Maugerville, N.B. The Betting Line-Hug A Dragoness gelding is undefeated in four starts this year.

Barrieau also guided his own trainee Dusty Lane Dixie to a 1:57.2 triumph in the $15,000 New Brunswick Breeders Stakes for the three-year-old pacing fillies, setting a new divisional track record. The Pang Shui-McDaisy Cutter filly is owned by David Lund of Moncton, N.B. Sent postward as the favourite, she bested the pocket-sitting Wickham and Pierre-Luc Roy by four lengths.

There were just starters in the $4,629 second leg of the Atlantic Aged Mares Pacing Series, which was held as a non-betting event prior to the 10-race pari-mutuel program. Barrieau was also in the bike of that race's winner, Share The Moment, who romped to a five-length victory in 1:56.2 over Therealprincess and Dr. Mitchell Downey for trainer Bo Ford and the P.E.I. ownership group of Luke Beck, Scott Bridges and Arnold Myers.

Barrieau's other winners were the three-time starter P J Spudland in a 1:58.1 career-best effort for local trainer/owner Weldon Briggs and Tobins Hottie, who romped to a 1:58.2 three-year-old filly record that stood for one race before the aforementioned Dusty Lane Dixie lowered it again. Tobins Hottie is owned and trained by Paul Emile Bernard of Dieppe, N.B. The former filly record of 1:58.4 was set by KCs Starlite in August 2022.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodstock Raceway NB.

(Standardbred Canada)