Jackie Heffernan's Little Miss Ava ($6.00) was anything but little in Wednesday's (July 22) $12,040 Nova Scotia Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies at Inverness Raceway, overcoming post seven and powering away up the far side en route to a 2:00.4 victory.
Myles Heffernan Sr. ducked the daughter of Hilarious Halo and Undine Hanover sharply to the pegs before the first turn, and the pair drafted from third while Glenview Rhonda (Redmond Doucet) controlled first-circuit splits of :29.1 and 1:00. On approach to the clubhouse turn, Heffernan angled Little Miss Ava to the outside, and she advanced steadily to engage Glenview Rhonda on the backstretch before claiming the lead with five-sixteenths to go.
Little Miss Ava drew clear by two lengths past three-quarters in 1:30.3, and despite drifting to the centre of the track in the stretch, held clear to win by 2-3/4 lengths. Glenview Rhonda held second, while Elm Grove Penney (Danny Romo) rallied from off the pace to take third.
Myles Heffernan Jr. trains Little Miss Ava, who broke maiden in her third career start after posting fourth- and seventh-place finishes in two Atlantic Sires Stakes events to commence her racing career.
In the sub-featured $1,250 winners-over pace, Euchred ($2.20) simply destroyed his six rivals, pulling away steadily to defeat Chase N Madi by 20 lengths in 1:55.1. The runner-up in the Governor's Plate consolation at Red Shores Summerside earlier in the month returned to Inverness for the first time since Canada Day, when he similarly won by 12 lengths. Redmond Doucet, who led all drivers with a grand slam on the nine-race program, drove the eight-year-old Shadow Play gelding for trainer Walter Walker and owner Kayla Habicht Walker.
To view Wednesday's full results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Inverness Raceway.