Thunder Alley won just four starts in 2023, but the eight-year-old pacer has certainly found his stride in 2024.
Making his third appearance of the season on Saturday, May 25 at Northside Downs, the class-climbing Thunder Alley picked up his third win of the year in the $1,600 Winners Over Pace.
Heading to the top from post five for driver Gerard Kennedy, Thunder Alley cleared rail starter Runaway Mystery through the opening turn. After fractions of :29.1, 1:01.1 and 1:32.1, Thunder Alley had plenty left in the tank and pulled away from his rivals with a :29 final panel to win by five in 2:01.1. The Winners Over winners from the first two weeks of the meet, David Lloyd George (Keigan Madden) and Runaway Mystery (Harold Leblanc Jr.) finished second and third, respectively.
Thunder Alley (Mystery Chase - The Three Of Us) is owned by Terri Morrison of Marion Bridge, Irwin Claener of New Waterford, Kirk Macrae of Ben Eoin and Angus Maceachern of Howie Center, N.S. The gelding picked up his 27th career win, bringing his earnings over the $86,000 mark. As the 6-5 choice, he paid $4.30 to win.
The win for Thunder Alley was the second win of the day for trainer Heather Hawkins -- winning earlier on the card with Kennedy and sophomore pacing colt Beers On Me (2:02.2; $2.10) -- and she concluded the card with a sweep of the late double thanks to Kennedy and Delightful Feeling (2:03.2; $8.00).
The Hawkins stable is red-hot to start the year in Sydney, with starters winning six of their first nine outings. Lifetime, Hawkins boasts 555 training wins with more than $475,000 in purses.
To view the results from the Saturday card of harness racing in Cape Breton, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)