Sunshine Lou led all the way for his second victory of the meet in the top Winners Over pacing class at Inverness Raceway on a sunny Sunday, June 9.
Driven by Danny Gillis, Sunshine Lou fired off the gate from post two for the lead in the $2,000 feature ahead of insider Southfield Sandy (Lewis MacDonell), with last week's winner Windemere Best Man (Redmond Doucet) appearing a tad steppy as he landed in third leaving for position from the five post. Sunshine Lou basked in the afternoon sunshine as he cruised uncontested through fractions of :30.1, 1:00.3 and 1:30.2 en route to victory in 1:59.1. With Windemere Best Man faltering first-up turning down the backstretch and pulling up, Eastcoast Invader (Monica Sutherland) took up the chase from behind but could only make it within 3-3/4 lengths of the winner on the line. Lyons Swift (John MacDonald) passed Southfield Sandy in the stretch to grab third-place honours.
Now two-for-three on the season, the eight-year-old Sunshine Beach gelding is trained by Raymond 'Junior' MacKinnon, who also co-owns with his wife Leah. Sunshine Lou picked up his 21st career win.
Sunshine Lou, a winner on Opening Day and third-place finisher in last week's edition, paid $7.20 to win as the post time favourite in the field of six.
Earlier on the card, Madison Poirier made her first career start as a trainer a winning one when her five-year-old pacer La Playa Deo ($7.50) won the $1,300 second race. The 22-year-old Inverness, N.S. resident took over the training from co-owner Erland Campbell for the Sunday start in which La Playa Deo and driver Danny Gillis led gate to wire, holding off the pylon-skimming favourite Real Bigg (Ardon Mofford) and late-closer Eastcoast Ms Haney (Monica Sutherland) in 2:01.2.
Poirier also won her next start in the $1,500 sixth race, sending out Delightful Wine ($5.60) to a three-length victory in 1:59.4 with Redmond Doucet working out the winning trip. Poirier and Campbell also co-own that six-year-old pacer.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)