Raymond MacKinnon's five-year-old pacing gelding Sunshine Lou ($20.80) turned back all challengers at Inverness Raceway for an upset victory in the top class on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 3).
Driven by Walter Walker in the $1,700 Winners Over feature, Sunshine Lou pocketed the favoured outside leaver, Intended Royalty (Redmond Doucet), after a :27.4 first quarter duel then shook off the first-up second choice, Daddy Let Me Drive (Rodney Gillis), past the half in :57.1. Intended Royalty was back out again down the backside, but the 9-1 shot Sunshine Lou remained clear on top through three-quarters in 1:26.3 and drew off by 3-1/2 lengths for the 1:55.4 score. Intended Royalty settled for second with Dan Dar Mal (Alex MacNeil) following back in third.
Sunshine Lou has won a quarter of his 20 starts this year, including back-to-back victories in the Winners Over at Inverness and Northside Downs early last month. Lifetime, the son of Sunshine Beach has won 11 races and more than $50,000 in purses.
Brady MacDougall celebrated his first training win during Sunday's card when his five-year-old pacing mare Credit To Burn ($5.40) won the afternoon's third race in front end fashion over the favoured Miss Dynamite D (Andrew MacLean). Redmond Doucet drove the daughter of Up The Credit to the one-length victory in 1:58.4. Rankinville Shamus (Alex MacNeil) finished 10 lengths back in third.
Credit To Burn followed up a pair of close runner-up finishes with the winning effort in her sixth start racing for MacDougall. The 39-year-old Inverness trainer co-owns the mare with Blaise MacNeil of Mabou, N.S.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: