A bit of a unique situation played out earlier this month. The occurrence was spread out across the nation and included three different drivers, at three different tracks, located in three different provinces.
The situation did include some constants, though – those being the last name ‘Kelly’ and hitting the wire first.
Trot Insider was recently alerted to a bit of a rare feat in which three reinsman from the same direct family emerged victorious from their first drives of the 2017 racing season.
East coast horseman Dave Kelly was the first to get things rolling. Shrugging off broken equipment, the senior Kelly steered Threestepstoheaven to a neck win in 2:00.3 over Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park on January 7.
Not a half hour later, but this time at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Kelly’s eldest son, David Kelly, won with trainer Sam Johnson's Acesndeuces in a time of 1.59.
Two days later, on January 9 at Woodbine Racetrack, Kelly’s youngest son, Colin Kelly, put a new record on three-year-old Freddy Bear for 1187422 Ontario Inc. and trainer Kyle Fellows in 1.54.4.
And 3 different time zones!
And 3 different time zones!