Despite less than ideal weather conditions at Connell Park in Woodstock on Saturday afternoon (June 3), Horse Racing New Brunswick completed the first card of 10 scheduled dates for 2023.
Two divisions of the Dawn Bremner Memorial Stakes and one feature Winners Over Pace highlighted the six-race card on Saturday afternoon.
In the first Dawn Bremner Memorial Stakes, a $10,700 pace for three-year-old fillies, Singing Ramona and John Davidson took a five-length victory in 2:00.3.
Davidson was parked to the quarter in :29.1 as favoured Gosistersoulsister (Pierre-Luc Roy) had control of the five-horse field. At the half in :59.2, Singing Ramona took over and never looked back as she breezed past the three-quarters in 1:30.1 en route to her open-length triumph. Run For The Money (Mark Haig) was second and Gosistersoulsister finished third.
Trainer Jamie Smith co-owns Singing Ramona with Hubert MacDonald. The three-year-old daughter of Sportswriter and the Western Ideal mare Gilbird Hanover moves her career record to 6-3-3 in 15 starts. She paid $5.20 to win.
Starship Art (Patrick Shepherd) followed a similar route to the finish line as Singing Ramona after being parked to the quarter in :30.2 in the $10,700 Memorial Pace for three-year-old colts. Continuing the pattern, the son of Arthur Blue Chip was in control by the half in 1:01.3 and through the three-quarters in 1:32. Starship Art rounded the final turn and cruised to a 1-1/2 length victory in 2:01.4. Stablemate Howmac Charmer (Mark Haig) was second and Proudofyatoday (Keith Ford) finished third.
Earl Watts trains the winner of three races in four starts for owner Claude Poirier.
In the card finale, American Risk and Mark Haig went gate-to-wire to win the feature $2,500 Winners Over Pace by six lengths in 2:00. George Rennison trains the seven-year-old son for the Risky Bizz Group. American Risk has a career record of 29-17-18 in 96 starts to go along with $104,792 in career earnings.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodstock Raceway NB.