Overlooked in his last start, Junebugs Baby showed his upset victory in last week's Cecil Ladner was no fluke with a sharp repeat performance in Saturday's Walter Dale Memorial at Exhibition Park Raceway.
The Canada Day tradition and the oldest stakes race in the Maritimes, the history of Walter Dale goes back to 1937 when the legendary horse set a record that many tried to beat for over 42 years. The complexion of this year's $4,200 race changed early as favoured Scotty Mach N (Norris Rogers) made a break before the start. Junebugs Baby and driver Myles Heffernan left alertly from the outside in Post 7 to vie for the lead, and landed on the front through a brisk :28.4 opening panel over the sloppy surface. The Ladner champ received a ton of respect through a middle half with fractions of :59.1 and 1:27.2 without a serious challenger. A final quarter of :31.2 was more than enough to clinch victory as pocket sitter Goliath Reigns (Todd Trites) could only get to within a length and a half of the pacesetter. Hp Bushido Dragjet (Scott Hubbard) rounded out the triactor.
Trained by Myles W. Heffernan, Junebugs Baby (Western Paradise - Carols June Bug) is owned by Jackie Heffernan of Glace Bay, N.S. The eight-year-old stallion now boasts 50 lifetime wins and more than $109,000 in career earnings.
While Trites finished runner-up in the Walter Dale, he won nearly everything else. Of the nine races on the card, Trites reeled off five straight wins starting in the second race with Beach Fighter A (2:03) and continuing with Maybeitsmaybelline (2:06.4), Ultimate Flyingnun (2:01.4), Best Escape Route (2:04.2) and concluding with Shelleys Man (2:05). The streak was snapped in the seventh race when favoured Salmonier Storm and driver Norris Rogers captured the $4,000 Not So Wealthy Pacing Series Final in 2:04 for owner-trainer Ambyr Campbell of Charlottetown, P.E.I.
For results from the Canada Day card at Exhibition Park, click the following link: Saturday Results - Exhibition Park Raceway.