Eastcoast Invader got off the schneid as he charged four-wide on the final turn secure his first victory of the season in the Winners Over Pace at Inverness Raceway on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
The gelding trailed early in the $2,000 contest, but Monica Sutherland took him off the pylons after the quarter in :28.4 to race third-over behind Talk Some Smack (Danny Gillis), who tracked the parked-out Shir Gain (Rod Gillis). The field travelled in three in-three out formation past the half in :58.1 with Whats Up Doc (Redmond Doucet) showing the way but under pressure from Shir Gain down the backstretch and to three-quarters in 1:29.1.
That two-horse duel expanded to a battle royale on the final turn as Talk Some Smack tipped three-wide and Eastcoast Invader set sail to his outside, and they went four-across into the lane. Whats Up Doc turned for home on top, but Eastcoast Invader soared in the middle of the track to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.4. Bettie White (Zach Mullins) snuck through at the cones to snag second late from Whats Up Doc.
Eastcoast Invader was winless in 14 seasonal outings prior to Wednesday’s win but hit the board in nine of those starts, including five in the Winners Over. Sutherland trains the gelding and co-owns him with Todd Sutherland of Port Hood, N.S. The son of Rollwithitharry-Manhattan Delight is now 25-for-138 lifetime and has earned $46,679.
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Inverness Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Eastcoast Invader winning on July 10, 2024)