Driver Scott Wray wrapped up the day at Dresden Raceway with a milestone moment on Sunday, June 22.
Wray earned his 1,000th career driving win in the 10th race finale as he worked out a perfect pocket trip for 3-2 favourite Rock N Pebbles ($5.10), a five-year-old pacing mare trained by his father Jack.
After tracking 8-5 pylon starter Minnie Million and Alex Lilley through fractions of :30, :58.4 and 1:28.4 with the parked longshot Ezra Express and Mark MacDonell tiring on the backstretch, Wray took aim turning for home and Rock N Pebbles got up in time to score the victory by half a length.
A homebred Betterthancheddar-Gravel mare, Rock N Pebbles took a new lifetime mark of 1:59.1 while posting her fifth career win for owners Ronald Ash of Desboro, Ont., and Mike McLaughlin of Durham, Ont.
Wray set himself up for the milestone moment in the day's final dash after a blowout victory with the Michael Rogers-trained pacer William Ross ($3) two races prior.
The 43-year-old London, Ont. resident, who didn't start his driving career until his late 20s, earned his first victory with his father's trainee DM Ion in 2010 at Flamboro Downs and has steered winners of more than $6.3 million since. He's topped the 100-win mark in a single season three times in his career, with his 126 wins in 2022 being a personal-best. He has won 30 races so far this year.
Veteran Amherstburg, Ont. horseman Donnie Rankin Jr. had lots to celebrate on Sunday as he sent out three winners from his stable, scoring with three-year-old pacing filly Betternredder ($8.50), veteran trotter Workinitonbroadway ($4.50) and four-year-old trotter Rose Run Zeb ($3.50). Rankin, who has trained winners 1,615 races lifetime, also owns and drove the successful trio.
A new Dresden track record was set for older pacing mares in a Sunday qualifier as Kittys Column and driver Garrett Rooney blazed around the oval in 1:55.2. The former record of 1:56 had stood since May 19, 2003, set by One To Envy, and was equalled on three other occasions by Shami Cami (June 24, 2007), Goldies Cam (July 16, 2008) and Insincerity (May 27, 2018).
The new divisional track record holder, a four-year-old Sportswriter-Kitty Kitty Hawk mare that last raced on June 5, is owned by trainer Cameron McQueen along with partners John McQueen of Port Huron, Michigan and Gregory Tuckwell of Chatham, Ont.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Dresden Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Scott Wray driving Rock N Pebbles for his 1,000th career win on June 22)