The old adage that horses can't read the toteboard was never truer than on Saturday afternoon (May 25) at Northside Downs.
A field of six lined up in the $1,400 Winners Over Pace feature of the card. John Willie Beaton sent the longest shot on the board, Brother John hardest off the gate and the duo cleared to the front before the opening turn. Pocket riding Southwind Ricardo (Ryan Campbell) took a shot at the leader down the backstretch but was rebuffed by Brother John, strong on top through a :28.2 opening quarter.
As the field rounded the far turn and approached the midway point, there appeared to be more horses in the outer flow than on the rail with horses positioned third through fifth all in the two path behind first-up challenger Southwind Ricardo. After a sharp :57.4 half the field bunched up a bit more heading to the third station, reached in 1:28.1. Brother John maintained his lead turning for home but faced foes fanning three- and four-wide. They would all be denied as Brother John found an extra gear and held off his five rivals for the 1:58.4 score at odds of nearly 12-1.
Favoured Windmeredontmatter (Redmond Doucet) closed strongly to finish second, a length and half back of the winner and just ahead of pocket-sitter Burn Em Up Burr (Gerard Kennedy).
Trained by Lee Collins, Brother John (Stonebridge Regal - Pine Barrens) picked up his second wni of the year in three starts for Nova Scotians Randy & Bradley Getto, Susan Macsween and Wayne Hardy. The win was his 38th lifetime and bumped his earnings to the cusp of $88,000.
To view the charted results for Saturday's card of harness racing at Northside, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.