Trained and driven by Marc Campbell, three-year-old trotter Irish Ray took the track for the 16th time in his young career on Wednesday (Aug. 23) and earned his way into the winner's circle for the 16th time, this time in a $15,520 Atlantic Sires Stakes event at Inverness Raceway.
The Muscle Through It gelding did not let his debut at the Inverness, N.S. oval faze him as he settled into post two in the field of six sophomore trotters. Campbell and Irish Ray used a similar tactic to 11 other starts, taking the early lead and making every pole a winning one. With every panel, the dynamic duo opened up the distance between themselves and the field. Through fractions in :30.2, 1:00.2 and 1:31.1, Irish Ray pulled away to an 11-length victory in a track record time of 2:00.3. Dynamical Tad (Kenny Arsenault) finished second with Windemeregotmuscle (Redmond Doucet) rounding out the top three.
Three Wisemen Stable owns Irish Ray as he pushed his career bankroll to the six-figure mark of $104,908.
Dusty Lane Wee collected an 8-3/4-length victory in the $8,760 ATSS for freshman trotters with Campbell in the bike for Leonard Myers.
Campbell and Dusty Lane Wee clicked out panels in :32.2, 1:04.2 and 1:36.3 before pulling off an open lengths achievement in 2:07.2. Dusty Lane Marble (George Rennison) finished second and Osprey Explosion (Arsenault) finished third.
The E L Rocket filly earned her third win in six starts for owners Garry MacDonald and Ronnie Gass. Dusty Lane Wee paid $4.60 to win.
Rocket Blast also led gate-to-wire to earn a three-length victory in 2:05.4 with Doucet driving for Carl Bagnall in the second $8,760 freshman trotting division of the ATSS.
Doucet sent Rocket Blast from the rail and to the top. After posting panels in :32.2, 1:04.2 and 1:37.1, Rocket Blast stepped across the wire three lengths in front of his foes. Countyline Babe (Myles Heffernan) was second with Gettin Lit (Michael McGuigan) third.
Bagnall owns the E L Rocket gelding as he earned his second win from six starts. Rocket Blast paid $5.30 to win.
Rodney Gillis drove Solid Silver to victory in the $1,800 Winners Over Pace for trainer and owner Donald Beaton.
Gillis and the five-year-old gelding got away sixth in the field of seven before tipping out first over after the opening panel in :30.1. Through the half in 1:01.1 and three-quarters in 1:31.1, Solid Silver made his way to the top. In a stretch battle between Solid Silver, leading Rockemsockem Scott (John Gerard Kennedy) and Privilege (Heffernan), Solid Silver pulled out to win by a neck in 2:00.1. Privilege took second and Rockemsockem Scott faded to third.
Scoring an upset victory at odds of 10-1, Solid Silver paid $22.30 to win.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Inverness Raceway.