The popular two-year-old pacing colts almost swept a pair of $9,860 Atlantic Sires Stakes 'A' divisions, but a placing resulted in one big payoff during the events on Sunday afternoon at Inverness Raceway
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Junebugs Baby and Greg Sparling, the favourites in the first division, left from Post 3 and cruised past stations of :30.3, 1:02.4 and 1:32 en route to the 2:01 triumph by one and a half lengths. Pondside Thunder (Bernard McCallum) finished second and Mr Thompson (Mike Stevenson) was third.
The homebred son of Western Paradise-Carols June Bug is now two-for-three in his young career for trainer Frader Turnbull, who also co-owns the colt with John Turnbull Jr. of Glace Bay, N.S.
Junebugs Baby paid $3.50 to win.
In contrast, favourite Lyndale Royal (Brodie MacPhee) made a costly break in stride, which prevented him from wiring the colts in the second split.
Lyndale Royal battled on top with Island Lexis (Danny Romo) through fractions of :29.3, 1:01.1 and 1:30.3 while recovering from a miscue at the three-eighths mark. He crossed the wire first in 2:01.2, but was placed back to sixth for causing interference to Perfect Xample (John Beaton), who was in the pocket at the time of his break. Athletic Putnam, the longest shot on the board at odds of 13-1, rallied home to finish second and as a result of the placing he inherited the victory, in a time of 2:01.3. Island Lexus and Obamanator (Mike Stevenson) were each moved up one position to second and third.
Driver Bernard McCallum also trains the Southwind Balsam-Yankee Sandals colt for owner-breeder Shawn Putnam of Great Village, N.S. The win was his first in five career outings.
Athletic Putnam paid $29.80 to win for the upset.
In other action, seven-year-old Camluck gelding Truth Or Dare front-stepped his way to a 1:56.4 victory in the $1,000 Winners Over Pace for driver Ryan Campbell and local trainer Walter Walker, who shares ownership with Kayla Anne Habicht of Inverness.
For results from Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.