Windemere Best Man proved to be the best pacer on opening day at Inverness Raceway, winning the featured top class in wire-to-wire fashion on Sunday, May 28.
Making his season's debut, Windemere Best Man closed out afternoon program with a two-minute mile in the $1,800 Winners Over Pace and capped off a grand slam for Inverness Raceway's defending driving champion Redmond Doucet.
Leaving from post four alongside the 3-5 favoured mare Boo Yaya, Windemere Best Man and Doucet pressed forward into the first turn to control the fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:28.3 en route to the one-length victory. Boo Yaya (Zachary Mullins) was right on the winner's back throughout the mile, but settled for third as Lazy Day Hanover (Ardon Mofford) kicked into action from the backfield during the second lap and surged by late to steal the runner-up honours.
Windemere Best Man paid $8.70 to win as the 3-1 second choice.
Lanny Hanscombe celebrated his first training win in nearly a decade with the five-year-old Malicious-Art Blanche gelding, who is locally owned by Simon Poirier and Chad MacDonnell.
Windemere Best Man improved his lifetime record to 11-9-7 from 56 starts and now has $26,951 in purse earnings.
Doucet started the season on a winning note with three-year-old pacing colt Oh Coffee Beach ($4) wiring the first field to break his maiden in 2:05.3 for trainer Alex MacDonald. Doucet led all drivers on opening day with a grand slam, also partnering with a pair of winning veteran pacers from the Chris Covin stable, Mighty Mouse ($2.80) and ER Quinn ($3) -- the latter finished in a dead-heat with Docs Ronhenry ($6.70), who completed a driving double for Rod Gillis.
The live harness racing season continues next Sunday afternoon with post time set for 1 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.