Sunshine Lou ended the 2024 Inverness Raceway campaign the same way he started it – winning those two and adding four more Winners Over victories in the middle – to be named Horse of the Year at the local annual awards banquet held on Friday, April 25 in Inverness, N.S.

Owned by Leah and Junior MacKinnon, Sunshine Lou won the feature race of the May 26 opening card and went on to collect a total of six wins, five seconds and five thirds over 23 starts -- all at Inverness -- for earnings just shy of $10,300 in his eight-year-old campaign. Junior MacKinnon also trains the gelding by Sunshine Beach out of the Blissfull Hall mare Carte De Mode. In his fastest mile of the season, Sunshine Lou came across the finish line in 1:57.3.

Sunshine Lou, Inverness Raceway’s 2024 Horse of the Year, ended the season the way he started it, winning the $2,750 Winners Over Pace in 1:59.1 with driver Campbell MacIsaac in the sulky.

The awards banquet was held upstairs at the Route 19 Brewery and Restaurant, where the guests were treated to a chicken breast dinner with cheesecake for dessert.

Highlighting the awards was the announcement by Guysborough-Tracadie MLA and Minister of Agriculture Greg Morrow that last year’s $350,000 top-up to the government’s $1 million contribution for purse money, split among the three Nova Scotia tracks, was to become permanent beginning this season.

“We made it a permanent increase,” Morrow said of the $1.35 million in government support. “You will see that money every year going forward. Everything you do to keep harness racing going at Inverness Raceway is amazing. It provides a great economic boost to the community.”

Inverness MLA Kyle MacQuarrie also spoke, noting how former MLA Allan MacMaster and Morrow made Inverness Raceway a priority.

“Allan and Greg well-supported the raceway and I plan on continuing that tradition,” he said. “Harness racing is more than a business, more than a hobby, it’s a way of life.”

Inverness County Warden Bonny MacIsaac spoke about the sense of community that Inverness Raceway embodies.

“When I think of the Inverness Raceway, I think of it as family – a family bound together by a shared passion and commitment. As someone who has grown up with fond memories of the track, I’m thrilled to see the raceway thriving. Its legacy, spanning nearly a century, is a testament to the dedication of volunteers, workers, owners, drivers and fans,” she said.

“Tonight, we celebrate the power of community and teamwork. I’d like to recognize the tireless efforts of those who keep the wheels turning at the raceway. Your contributions have made tonight possible, and I'm grateful for your hard work,” concluded MacIsaac.

Guest speaker for the evening was Willie Seymour, of Glace Bay, who races horses at Northside Downs. Seymour spoke of the similar challenges small tracks face and the good work being done by the members of the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association, including Meagan MacQuarrie, of Inverness Raceway, and Joel LeBlanc, of Northside Downs.

“And thank you to Jimmy and Ann Copley who also work tirelessly for the harness racing industry,” he said.

Seymour concluded by tipping his hat to Inverness and its track.

“Inverness has the most obliging and welcoming people. It’s the heart of Cape Breton that welcomes many tourists. I have never seen anything like it.”

Executive member and treasurer Lewis MacDonell announced the arrival of the new starting gate and thanked the three sponsors who ponied up $10,000 each: B.A. Watson Construction, Ideal Concrete and Ian Tate Plumbing and Heating. 

MacDonell also acknowledged Ron MacGillivray Buick-GMC-Chevrolet for the donation of a truck again this season; Denmark Acres sponsorship of the winner’s circle, Romeo Martin for the photo of the starting gate; and Wayne Gillis and Kelsie MacQuarrie for the use of Route 19. 

He also noted that work on a new sound system at Inverness Raceway will start soon, with Soundafex/AER Technologies setting it up.

The awards ceremony continued with the naming of its Mare of the Year, which was a tie between JJ Aurora and Jgsjumanji. JJ Aurora had five wins, two seconds and a third in 20 Inverness starts in her four-year-old season for earnings of $4,790. Trained by Bobby MacLeod, she is owned by MacLeod and Wayne Gillis. Jgsjumanji is owned and trained by Gussie MacLean. Also a four-year-old in 2024, she had 23 starts in Inverness, collecting four wins, three seconds and seven thirds. 

And the prestigious Horseman of the Year award was presented to Port Hood horseman Lewis MacDonell. He is longtime member of the raceway executive as treasurer (when asked how many years during the 99-year history of the track he has been involved, he said “all of them”). MacDonell is also an owner, trainer and, in 2024, he was the leading driver in the 20-60 starts category with a UDRS of .304.

Lewis MacDonell was presented Inverness Raceway's 2024 Horseman of the Year award by fellow raceway executive members. From left to right, Ambrose Gillis, D.F. Beaton, Lewis MacDonell, Wayne MacLellan, Keigan MacLean and Rodney Gillis.

Continuing with the horse awards, there was a tie for the most consistent between Mudslide Lucas and Bet On Lucas. Mudslide, a Tobago Cays gelding owned by Avery Fraser and trained by her dad Charles, had two wins, six seconds, five thirds in 15 local sophomore starts. Bet On Lucas, who missed just one cheque in 18 starts at Inverness, had three wins, five seconds and six thirds in his four-year-old season. The gelding is owned by Ed Harvey and trained by Monica Sutherland.

Iron horse of the year was Shir Gain. Owned and trained by D.F. Beaton, the feature horse had 15 starts at Inverness in his six-year-old season, posting six wins, three seconds and two thirds.

The fastest mile of the 2024 Inverness season – 1:56.1 – was set by Rotten Ronnie. The gelding, now seven years old, is owned by Redmond Doucet and Andy Stewart.

There was a tie for most wins, with Dirty Bobby and Southfield Sandy each getting to the Inverness winner’s circle eight times. Dirty Bobby is owned Redmond Doucet and Andy Stewart, trained by Lennan MacIsaac. Southfield Sandy is owned by Route 19 Racing and trained by Lewis MacDonell. Dirty Bobby was also the $5,000 claimer of the year award winner and Southfield Sandy was the top horse in the $7,000 claimer division.

And in the $9,000 claimer category, Igot Socks was the winner. Now five years old, he is owned by Anita Gillis and D.F. Beaton, who also does the training.

The top two-year-old colt of 2024 was Highway Of Heros, owned by James MacInnis and trainer Walter Walker. In three starts at Inverness, the youngster had three wins, the fastest in 1:59.3.

In the three-year-old colt division, Ol Chunk Of Coal got the nod as the best, after picking up three wins, a second and a third  in nine starts at Inverness. Ol Chunk Of Coal is owned by the father-son team of Hughie and Ali MacEachern and trained by Bobby MacLeod.

And the top three-year-old filly for 2024 was Bettie White. Owned by the mother-son duo of Darlene and Brock MacLellan and trained by Zach Mullins, Bettie White had six wins and three seconds in 12 starts at Inverness, taking a mark of 2:01.2.

Trainer, driver, owner and fan awards included:

• Leading trainers (10-40 starts): Walter Walker, UTRS of .682; Junior MacKinnon, .454; Lennan MacIsaac, .432.
• Leading trainers (40-plus starts): D.F. Beaton, .414; Zach Mullins, .355; Charles Fraser, .303.
• Leading drivers (20-60 starts): Lewis MacDonell, UDRS of .304; Campbell MacIsaac, .301; Ambrose Gillis, .292.
• Leading drivers (60-plus starts): Rodney Gillis, .393; Redmond Doucet, .378; Danny Gillis, .335.

Doucet was also the leading dash winner in 2024 with 30 trips to the winner’s circle. 

In recognizing the recent passing of Inverness horseman Joey (Bush) MacInnis, Doucet recalled winning an award in 2001 when he first started driving.

“I was feeling pretty proud about it, then Joey said, ‘That’s like being the top 10 tennis player on Mount Young.’”

At the 2024 O’Brien Awards, held Feb. 8 in Mississauga, Ont., D.F. Beaton received the Standardbred Canada owners award. The top
owner from every track in Canada was on stage where they received a plaque and a bouquet of flowers.

There were three Junior Groom awards presented, won by Gussie Young, Owen Tuttle and Grayson Gillis.

In the Senior Groom divisions, awards were presented to Avery Fraser, Cole Mullins, Rory Young and Chrissy MacKinnon.

The 2024 Fan of the Year award was won by a smiling Brandon Spears, of Port Hood.

Junior fans of the year, who are always there lending a helping hand, were Jordan Blackwood, Alex Dan MacDonnell and Elliott Smith.

The 2025 harness racing season at Inverness Raceway is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 25.

(Bill Dunphy/The Inverness Oran; headline photo of Sunshine Lou's owners, Leah and Junior MacKinnon, accepting the award for 2024 Horse of the Year from Inverness Raceway director Rodney Gillis at the April 25 awards banquet in Inverness)