Northside Downs kicked off its 2025 season on Saturday, May 10 with a familiar face factoring into the featured dash.
When it comes to starting the season, Thunder Alley has shown consistency throughout his residency in Cape Breton. A winner of three of his first four starts at Northside in 2023, Thunder Alley also started his 2024 season on a tear with a five-race win streak.
On Saturday, Thunder Alley was the darling of the toteboard with the public backing the nine-year-old to the tune of 6-5 favouritism. As rain started to fall for sixth race post time, "Thunder" was ready to roll.
Leaving from post two in the field of five assembled in the $1,700 Winners Over Pace, Thunder Alley made every call a winning one in his seasonal debut. Towing driver Gerard Kennedy through tepid fractions of :30.2, 1:01.3 and 1:31, Thunder Alley rumbled home in :29.2 for the 2:00.2 score more than four lengths the best. Pocket-sitting Kiss Me Im Irish (Mark Pezzerallo) had no response to that pace and finished second, with Fear The Shadow (Keigan Madden) closing well for the show spot in his local debut.
A son of Mystery Chase - The Three Of Us, Thunder Alley ($4.70) sports a 34-24-20 summary from his 164 lifetime appearances with $94,965 in earnings. Heather Hawkins trains the veteran pacer for Nova Scotia-based owners Terri Morrison, Irwin Claener, Kirk MacRae and Angus MacEachern.
Northside Downs will host a total of 27 live racing cards this year, with Saturday afternoons comprising the bulk of the race days. The Sydney, N.S. oval will race through to Saturday, Aug. 2, adding a Thursday card on Aug. 7 while taking a break during P.E.I.'s Old Home Week. Racing resumes on Aug. 24 with Saturdays through to Nov. 15 — with an exception of a Monday afternoon card on Oct. 13 instead of Oct. 11.
For the results from Saturday's lidlifter at Northside Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)