Sophomore pacing colts and gelding faced off in their first Atlantic Sires Stakes round of the season on Sunday afternoon at Inverness Raceway with Junebugs Baby and Putnams Storm earning top honours

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Junebugs Baby, last year's Atlantic Breeders Crown Consolation winner, made his 2012 debut a winning one with a wire-to-wire effort in the first of two $10,220 'A' divisions. Greg Sparling guided the Western Paradise-Carols June Bug colt through fractions of :31.2, 1:02.2 and 1:32.3 en route to a 2:00.3 victory. He paid $4.80 to win as the 3-2 favourite. Mr Thompson and Mike Stevenson finished three-quarters of a length behind off a pocket trip while Paradise Station and Redmond Doucet came in third after a long first over journey.

Junebugs Baby now boasts six career wins and has never missed the board in eight starts. Trainer-breeder Fraser Turnbull of Dominion, N.S. shares ownership of the colt with John Turnbull Jr. of Glace Bay, N.S.

Driven by Todd Trites, Putnams Storm converted a pocket trip into a 2:01.3 triumph in the second 'A' split. The son of Force Of Life out of Reading Terminal followed Touch Of Lightning and Earl Smith through fractions of :31, 1:02 and 1:33.1 before wearing them down for the one length tally. He paid $14.20 to win for the mild 6-1 upset. Last year's Atlantic Breeders Crown champion Astronomical Union and Doucet overcame early interference and advanced into third.

Cyril MacDonald trains Putnams Storm for owner Wesley Patriquin of Debert, N.S. The win was the grey gelding's first in two tries this year and third in 12 lifetime starts.

Trained and driven by Danny Romo, favourite Hoshinosenshi broke his maiden in the lone $2,500 'B' division after pulling the pocket and edging past pacesetter Saulsbrook Blaze and Clare MacDonald for the 2:02.4 victory be a neck. He paid $3.30 to win. The Galantine Hanover-Pantagram gelding is owned and bred by Thomas Hawco Jr. of Sydney, N.S.

In regular racing action, the track's top pacing event, carrying a purse of $1,000, was won by the popular Lils Destiny and Romo in 2:00.1. Melissa Hawco trains and co-owns the five-year-old son of The Panderosa with Thomas Hawco Jr. Lils Destiny held off Romanie Ranger for the half-length victory. He paid $4.70 to win.

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