The 2014 Atlantic Sires Stakes season kicked off on Sunday, June 8 at Truro Raceway with Lovineveryminute matching a track record that has stood for 24 years.
Lovineveryminute powered to a 1:56.2 triumph in the first of two $9,720 'A' divisions, equalling J K Beauty's three-year-old pacing filly track record that was originally set on July 29, 1990.
The speedy Western Paradise-Deliver Me filly is owned by breeder River Valley Management of Quispamsis, N.B. along with partners Windemere Farms of North Wiltshire, P.E.I. and Lana Murphy of Quispamsis, N.B. She was catch-driven by Todd Trites for trainer Earl Watts.
Leaving from post five in the seven-horse field, Lovineveryminute carved out fractions of :28.2, :59 and 1:27.4 with her first over challenger Babies Gigolo breaking stride. The race favourite kicked home in :28.3 to win by two and three-quarter lengths while Pictonian Sareta followed in second off a pocket trip. Third-place finisher Charlottes Style trailed 15-3/4 lengths behind.
Lovineveryminute won half of her 10 stakes races as a freshman, including a 1:56.1 career-best effort at Charlottetown, and recorded three second-place finishes to bank $26,165. Sunday's win was her first in two sophomore starts.
Elm Grove Inarush was nearly as impressive in winning the other 'A' division in a career-best 1:56.3, going two-for-two on the year.
Mark Bradley drove the popular Coastocoast Yankee-Seawind Alpha filly wire-to-wire, posting fractions of :28.1, :58 and 1:27 before widening her leading margin to eight and three-quarters lengths with a :29.3 final panel. Pocket-sitter Dusty Lane Dora was second-best while Sail Through finished 14 lengths behind.
Trainer Eddy Doucette shares ownership of Elm Grove Inarush with Blaine Thibeau, Gordon MacLeod and Grant Mann, all of Kensington, P.E.I.
Last year she put together a record reading 6-6-1 in 14 starts while taking the Island Breeders Championship title and banking $46,701.
In a paid of $2,500 'B' divisions, the season-debuting Shindeagan (Ameripan Gigolo-Pantagram) and trainer/driver Danny Romo edged out P H Sunshine by a nose in 2:00.4 while the Leith Waite-trained Newsmaker (Articulator-Jk Casablanca) wore down Emily Annabel Mac to win by a quarter-length in 2:01.1 with Brodie MacPhee aboard.
The weekly $1,275 Winners Over Pace was won by Grayland Farm's Oakmont and Romo in wire-to-wire fashion. The winning time was 1:57.1. Andro Madi finished second and two-time defending class champion Likely To Win was third.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Truro Raceway.