Driver Mark Pezzarello was white-hot on Monday (Oct. 12) at Northside Park, scoring six driving victories including the $1,600 Winners Over $1,000 in their last four aboard Thunder Alley.
Leaving from post four in the field of six, Thunder Alley pushed the gate away as he outsprinted Aragonite (Lawrence Snow) to the opening turn and blitzed the opening panel in :27.4 with the top pair racing well clear of the rest. Revved-up from the pocket, Aragonite pulled the pocket and applied pressure to Thunder Alley as the duo raced to the half in :57. Spinning onto the backstretch for the final time, Thunder Alley began to shrug off the pesky Aragonite as he tripped the timer at three-quarters in 1:26.4.
Thunder Alley turned for home three lengths clear, with the tightly packed field giving chase and beginning to cut into the deficit. Despite the middle half throwdown, Thunder Alley held sway to reach the wire first by a length in 1:57.3. Payline (Roderick Gillis) rallied up the cones for second, with Alritealritealrite (Kevin Bailey) securing third.
Trained by Heather Hawkins, Thunder Alley has won five of 21 this year, and 45 times over the course of his career. The 10-year-old Mystery Chase-The Three Of Us gelding is owned by Terri Morrison of Marion Bridge, N.S., Irwin Claener of New Waterford, N.S., Kirk Macrae of Ben Eoin, N.S., and Angus Macaechern of Howie Center, N.S.
Prior to the score in the feature, Pezzarello scored a natural grand slam in races two through five, scoring with Dont Ask Logan ($11.40, 1:59.1) for trainer Edgar Jacobs, A Fighting Chance ($5.70, 2:04) for trainer Robert Blanchard, Whims Wonder ($5.80, 1:59.1) for trainer Travis Campbell, and Wenitrainsitpours ($2.50, 2:00.3) for trainer James Hogan. Pezzarello's sixth and final victory on the day came aboard Zaidans Luck ($11.20, 2:01.2), once again for Edgar Jacobs.
To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Northside Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)