Fresh off a victory in the Exhibition Cup Invitational at Truro Raceway, Formal Affair headed to Inverness Raceway this weekend and wired his open foes once again for the victory in the Christine Deagle Memorial Pace
while three popular sophomore pacing fillies delivered on their pari-mutuel promises in Atlantic Sires Stakes action.
With Mark Bradley in the sulky, favourite Formal Affair took command of the seven-horse field from post position two and cruised past panels of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:26.3 en route to a 1:56 victory in the $8,000 feature event, which concluded the 15-race program. Oakmont and Danny Romo finished one and a half lengths behind in second off a pocket trip with Game Zac and Alex MacNeil rounding out the top three.
David Rose trains the six-year-old Real Desire-Little Black Dress gelding, who has won his last three races in a row (now three-for-five in 2011), for owners Ronnie and Dale Rennie of Elmsdale, P.E.I. The victory was his 14th lifetime and lifted his bankroll to $105,925.
Formal Affair paid $4.20 to win as the fan favourite.
Earlier on the card, three-year-old pacing fillies Moon Landing, Grayland Rain and Honey Do Jigtime delivered winning performances in three $6,820 Atlantic Sires Stakes 'A' divisions while Elm Grove Foxtrot and Mooshy Moosy Bea took top honours in two $2,500 ‘B’ divisions.
Favourite Moon Landing ($3.80) and driver Danny Romo left from the inside post position and carved out fractions of :30.4, 1:01 and 1:31 en route to a 1:59 triumph in the first ‘A’ division. Elm Grove Future and Mike Stevenson followed two and a half lengths behind from the pocket to place while Bemused and Marc Campbell rounded out the top three.
The daughter of Quick Comeback-Igiantstpfrpankind is a perfect five-for-five in ATSS action and has recorded a total of seven wins and three seconds in 10 seasonal starts for over $31,000 in earnings this year. Trained and owned by Patrick Eastwood, Moon Landing sports 18 top three finishes in 21 lifetime starts with close to $55,000 banked.
The popular Grayland Rain ($5.50) took control of the field from post position two in the second 'A' split and cruised past fractions of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:30.3 before stopping the clock in 1:59.2 for the one and a half length triumph for trainer-driver Marc Campbell. The daughter of Benvolio Hanover-Donnas Four As was followed under the wire by the Gilles Barrieau-driven Diamond Coast, who recovered from an early miscue and went from last to second. Forthena and Clare MacDonald finished third.
Paul Gray of Pugwash, N.S. owns the bay filly, who is three-for-four in ATSS action. After scoring only one win in seven starts as a freshman, Grayland Rain has earned four wins and two seconds in 11 sophomore starts to lift her career bankroll to nearly $20,000.
Favourite Honey Do Jigtime ($2.60) also continued her consistent sophomore season with another triumph in the third 'A' division for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald. She converted from the pocket to score the 2:01.1 victory over Acton Normal and Shane Bernard, who carved out early fractions of :29.3, 1:01.1 and 1:32. Force Of Fire and Shawn Lynk applied first over pressure while Woodmere Grinny and Gilles Barrieau went three-wide past the third quarter station, but it was Honey Do Jigtime who found room in the stretch and charged to a one and three-quarter length victory, her fourth in a row. Woodmere Ginny was third.
The daughter of Coastocoast Yankee-Gold Luck, with a four-for-five ATSS record, boasts eight wins and two seconds in 10 seasonal starts in her sophomore campaign with over $41,000 banked. Lifetime, she has only missed the board in three of her 20 starts while stashing away over $63,000 for owners Morah Kerr of Greenfield and Phonsie Maceachern of Port Hood, N.S.
Elm Grove Foxtrot ($3.70) went wire-to-wire in the first $2,500 ‘B’ division of the day, holding off pocket-sitter Aaliyahs Gold for the 2:06.1 score. The Largo-Haveigotadealforu filly is co-owned by driver Angelo Camilli and trainer Italo Camilli.
In the other ‘B’ division, Mooshy Mooshy Bea ($3.10) went to the front and never looked back en route to a flashy 18-1/2 length triumph in 2:00 with trainer-driver Danny Romo in tow. The daughter of Force Of Life-Helen O Grace is owned by Brian Dowie and Kenneth MacNeilo of Sydney, N.S.
For results from Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.