Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, N.B. began its 2026 harness racing season on Thursday, July 30 with a nine-race card headlined by three divisions of the Dawn & Dr. Ted Bremner Memorial for three-year-olds.
Two $14,500 divisions for colts and geldings started the stakes action, with Fire And Blood and Mclovin victorious.
Fire And Blood, a two-time stakes winner last season, led his first-division rivals gate-to-wire to tally his first win at three. In line to Mike Downey, the Ellen Stevenson-trained colt took the front without contest and went unchallenged as he set :30.3, 1:01 and 1:30 fractions. Neither pocket-sitter Sporty Anthony (Landon Campbell) nor the late-closing Oceanview Lou (Brodie MacPhee) could catch the leader, who defeated the latter by a half-length in 1:58.1. Sporty Anthony was third. Fire And Blood, a son of Blood Money-Pangoon, is now five-for-20 lifetime with $42,229 in earnings for owner Dr. Mitchell Downey of Saint John, N.B. He paid $6.80 to win.
Mclovin powered to the front in the third quarter and paced away in the stretch to take the second split for trainer Jared Perrot. After sitting third to the quarter in :29 and half in :59.1, Brodie MacPhee mobilized the Mcwicked-Well Shaded gelding to make a move towards leader Tobins Nibbler (Jason Hughes). Mclovin edged ahead at three-quarters in 1:28.2 and cleared shortly after, then strode away to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:57.2. Shekhan (Colin Sheppard) swung three-high on the last turn and got up for second in a blanket finish over Tobins Nibbler. Mclovin won for the second time this year in nine starts and moved to three-for-16 lifetime with $27,508 earned for James Perrot of Stratford, P.E.I. The win price was $7.10.
Beach Jewels wired the field in the $27,800 Bremner Memorial contest for fillies. Jason Hughes pushed her to an early lead out of post two and had her to the quarter in :28.2, then got the filly :58.3 and 1:28.2 middle panels despite the pocket pop of Fern Hill Kream (Brodie MacPhee) entering the third turn. That rival broke stride turning for home, and Beach Jewels defended from Uptown Tonight (Myles Heffernan Sr.) down the lane to prevail in 1:57.4 by a length. The latter was placed fourth for interference at the eighth pole, elevating Neveah Divine (Colin Sheppard) to second and Hatchling (Landon Campbell) to third. Beach Jewels, a daughter of Arthur Blue Chip-Preakness, is trained by Kevin MacLean for Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The filly has won twice this year in five starts and is six-for-18 lifetime with $91,981 in earnings. She returned $5.60.
Nuttin But Finesse was nothing but dominant in the $2,100 Winners Over Pace with a double-digit-length blowout. Mike Downey used post one to secure the front for the stallion over a host of early challengers, and Nuttin But Finesse led with a cushion through :28.2 and :58 fractions. The field swarmed in approaching three-quarters in 1:26.4, but Nuttin But Finesse uncorked a :28.4 kicker to leave them 10-3/4 lengths adrift as he motored to a 1:55.3 victory. A Deals A Deal (Maxim Gaudreault) took second, followed by Kingston Panic (Michel Audet). Nuttin But Finesse reached the winner’s circle for the first time this season in his 14th start of the year. Stevenson trains the son of Art Major-Nuttin But Trouble, now 40-for-148 lifetime with a bankroll of $404,174, for Mitchell Downey. The winner paid $2.90.
Thursday’s card was the first of 11 at Woodstock this year, with the first six set to start at 7 p.m. (ADT) before post time changes to 1 p.m. for the rest of the meet. The next card is set for Sunday, Aug. 2.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Connell Park.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Fire And Blood winning on Aug. 4, 2025)