Skip The Honey maintained seasonal perfection and won his eighth straight race with a front-stepping performance in the $14,400 Little Saratoga Pacing Series final, leading six winners for driver Garrett Rooney at Dresden Raceway on Sunday, June 21.

The 1-9 favourite rolled to the lead from post two, taking the front over inside starter Ridin Shotgun (Scott Wray) and forcing Friyayitsbeachday (Aidan Dicks) to retreat to fourth past the :28 first quarter. Skip The Honey led unopposed through the half in :57.3, and he and pocket-sitter Riding Shotgun separated from their three foes as they raced to three-quarters in 1:27. Ridin Shotgun slid out for his shot coming off the far turn but made little impact on Skip The Honey, who glided to a two-length victory in 1:56. Warlord (Donnie Rankin) finished third.

Skip The Honey scored his second straight series sweep, adding the Little Saratoga Series to his dominance in the London Classic Sale Series in May. After winning his second of two starts as a two-year-old, the son of All Bets Off-Homegrown Honey has seven wins from as many outings this season. Greg Drew of Merlin, Ont. owns, trains and bred the four-year-old, who has now earned $50,700. The win price was $2.10.

Rooney, a winner of five races at Hiawatha Horse Park on Saturday, carried that momentum into the Sunday Dresden card and oversaw a second track-record performance in two days. His second Sunday winner was Jewels Diamondeyes, who chased down favourite Dapper Fella in a $4,800 conditioned event and set a Dresden standard for older pacing mares. Jewels Diamondeyes raced third behind fractions of :27.2 and :55.4 produced by Dapper Fella (David Edwards), then circled the labouring pocket-sitter as they approached three-quarters in 1:25.2 to chase after the pacesetter, setting the stage for a stretch slugfest. Jewels Diamondeyes chipped away at the leader down the lane and reached up late to win by a neck in 1:55.2. Maple (Alex Lilley) was well back in third.

Jewels Diamondeyes earned a new lifetime mark and took a tick off the aged mare pace standard previously set by Kittys Column in 2025.

The winner, a five-year-old Betterthancheddar-Jeremeyes Jewel mare, scored her third straight win to improve to six-for-22 this season. Michael Carther trains her for Bainsford Barnyard Ltd. of Wallaceburg, Ont. Jewels Diamondeyes has won 18 of 104 career starts and earned $104,696. She paid $7 to win.

Rooney’s first win on the 12-race card came through disqualification as first-place finisher Bet The Macks (Scott Wray) was placed sixth for interference in the second race, elevating Rooney’s Loucksy ($10.80) to the win. After his win with Jewels Diamondeyes, the reinsman reached the winner’s circle with Jays N Tigers ($4), Big Mach N ($20.90), Skip The Honey and Honey So Sweet ($3.50). Rooney extended his lead in the Dresden standings to nine over Mark MacDonell as the former mounts a title defence. He is now 135-for-679 overall in 2026.

The $13,400 Little Saratoga Pacing Series final for fillies and mares went to Jersey Jewel, who reeled in a loose leader for driver Robert Doyle. The three-year-old settled in fifth from post six while heavy favourite Cleopanther (Rooney) pushed out to command and laid down splits of :29 and :58.4. Jersey Jewel shifted out behind Marylou Hustle (Mark MacDonell) passing the midway point, then circled her to continue the advance to three-quarters in 1:28.2, where Cleopanther had a four-length edge. Jersey Jewel flew through the final turn, and the pacesetter had little left to resist the oncoming filly, who soared clear to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:58.4. Pink Skies Tonite (Aidan Dicks) also picked off Cleopanther late to be second.

Jersey Jewel is now a two-time winner from eight starts at three after going 0-for-two as a rookie. Jason Libby trains the daughter of Betterthancheddar-Jersey Pearl, who has now earned $12,860, and shares ownership with Lorrie Keeling of Dorchester, Ont. and Matthew Bassett of Chesterfield, N.J. The win price was $23.20.

To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Dresden Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)