In a very similar effort to his win in the first Winners Over Pace of the year, veteran campaigner Runaway Mystery made every inch of racetrack count in a top class upset score at Northside Downs on Saturday, June 15.
Harold Leblanc Jr. sat the 10-year-old son of Mister Big - Phoenix Arcane off the hotly-contested pace up front, set by a revved-up Kiss Me Im Irish and driver Mark Pezzarello. After fronting the field through a :27.3 opener, the mare faced a pocket-popping Dressel Hanover (Ardon Mofford) at the :57.3 half, with the streaking favourite Thunder Alley (Gerard Kennedy) poised second over in search of his sixth straight score.
After the 1:27.3 third station, Thunder Alley angled into the three-wide path around Dressel Hanover, unable to clear the pacesetter. Leblanc asked Runaway Mystery to follow that move, and then tipped four wide through the far turn to create a five-across finish turning for home. Kiss Me Im Irish got collared by Rockinforreal (Jason MacNeil) in the deep stretch, but Runaway Mystery had a full head of steam on the outside and the freight train just got up in time for the 1:59.2 verdict. Rockinforreal settled for second with David Lloyd George (Keigan Madden) completing the triactor.
Runaway Mystery notched his second win of the season and career win no. 32, pushing his career earnings to $73,488 for Leblanc and co-owners Joel Le Blanc of Victoria Mines and Gus Burns of New Waterford, N.S. Sent off at 11-1 odds, Runaway Mystery returned $24.20 to win.
For results from Saturday's card of harness racing in Cape Breton, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)