Evan Wilson put his pacer Big Engine on the engine and motored through the slop to best the favourites in the featured top class on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 14) at Inverness Raceway
With the inside post advantage, Big Engine established the lead into the first turn over 3-2 favourite Betterthanbutter (Zach Mullins), with 2-1 second choice J Gs Fireball (Campbell MacIssac) on the move outside early on before taking back to third after a :30.1 opening quarter. Big Engine went unchallenged through middle splits of 1:00.1 and 1:32 before Betterthanbutter popped the pocket coming off the final turn, but the favourite came up just short as Big Engine prevailed by a quarter of a length in 2:02.2 over a sloppy track rated four seconds off. J Gs Fireball finished back in third.
Big Engine, who had raced at Inverness just once before finishing third last August, entered Sunday's $1,700 Winners Over Pace riding a three-race streak of runner-up finishes at Truro Raceway. Sent postward at odds of 7-2, he paid $9.20 to win.
The victory was Big Engine's third this year from 14 starts for Wilson, who owns, trains and drives the seven-year-old Test Flight gelding. A 16-time career winner, Big Engine has banked $45,613 in purses lifetime.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.