Todd Trites was the dominant driver opening day at Fredericton Raceway, guiding home five winners on the 11-dash card.
Trites scored in the afternoon's feature race with 2012 Fredericton Aged Horse of the Year Joseph Michael, winning by almost five lengths in 1:59.3 for trainer Eric Wilson.
The win was the third in only five starts this season for the six-year-old pacer, who is owned by Capital A Investments and Valerie Phelan. The sub-2:00 trip was achieved over a track that was at least one second slow after steady rains throughout the afternoon.
Trites also scored with Charlie Price's three-year-old Astronomical colt named Twilite Zone, who paced his final quarter in :28.4 to score in 2:01.4. It was the gelding's second straight win to open his sophomore campaign and fifth in a row.
Trites also visited victory lane with the Melvin Land-trained Lanny, Ace On The River, trained by Heather Hathaway, and Woodmere Bigsplash, another Wilson pupil.
Fredericton's 2012 leading reinsman Gilles Barrieau and Mark Haig each drove two winners on the program.
The next card of racing goes on Victoria Day Monday afternoon, with post time at 1 p.m.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Fredericton Raceway.
(With files from HRNB)