There’s a new harness racing family at Inverness Raceway this year. Alanah Peterson, who has five riding horses, recently purchased a standardbred, five-year-old mare Woodmere Heather M. Joining her in the stable after Sunday’s qualifying race are her children: Wrenlee (the baby), Isla, Tucker and Finlay in the overalls.
May 20, 2025
-by Bill Dunphy
Most kids want their parents to get them a Switch or a bicycle.
When Alanah and Niles Peterson took their four children to Inverness Raceway the first time, the kids wanted a race horse.
“Two summers ago we started going to Inverness and the kids really got into it,” said Alanah Peterson. “We said we would think about, thinking it should be a retirement thing.”
However, the kids eventually won out.
“It was one of those things, spend the money and go to Disneyland, or spend time with the family by doing something together for a longer time.”
On Sunday, Peterson, who is far from retirement, watched as her five-year-old mare, Woodmere Heather M, qualified for this season of harness racing at Inverness Raceway.
“It was a good day, definitely a new experience,” she said.
The Petersons, of Orangedale, have five riding horses and Alanah has her own dog grooming business in Whycocomagh, called Pawz By The Bay.
She said horses have always been a part of her life, thanks to her mother, and Jason McGinnis, a conditioner in Ontario, who is her cousin.
Having made the decision to get a standardbred, Alanah and Melanie LeBlanc went to P.E.I. where they visited Jennifer Doyle’s stable and saw Woodmere Heather M, who had been racing in the claimers for the final three months of the season at Charlottetown Driving Park.
“I knew it was Heather that I wanted, but she was committed to going on auction and I had to wait for the auction to run out. She didn’t sell and two minutes after the auction was over I called Jen and asked when can I come and get her?”
Heather, who is by the sire Malicious and the Rocknroll Hanover mare For All We Know, is coming off an 18-win season as a four-year-old. She has a lifetime mark of 1:56 and earnings of $8,269.
In qualifying on Sunday, Heather, with Monica Sutherland on the bike, finished 11 lengths back of the pack but still qualified in a time of 2:06 (the judges set a two-second variant on the day due to strong winds).
“Jen (Doyle) told us what equipment to get, but I don’t think she needed the ear plugs. Apparently she has never worn ear plugs and once Monica pulled them, she began pacing better,” said Peterson.
She also learned that she is now part of the racing community at Inverness.
“There were these two older gentlemen there and one of them said, ‘I thought she was supposed to be fast?’ To which Alanah replied, “She was just having an off day.”
She said she’s looking forward to the start of the season.
“It’s our first year and we’re just getting into it. Hopefully Heather races well and we get to the winner’s circle at some point. Tucker is bound and determined to get on the golf cart!”
A golf cart runs from the barn side to the grandstand side, carrying family members who want to be in the photo at the winner’s circle.
There were 19 horses qualified in five races on Sunday, with one more round of qualifiers tonight (Wednesday) before Sunday’s opening day. The track was rated fast but with a two-second variant due to high winds.
In the opener, Travelin Soldier had a clean trip after going on a break last week, marching straight to the finish line in 2:01.4 with Redmond Doucet on the reins for owners Walter Walker and James MacInnis.
Also qualifying were: Makes Me Stupid (Rodney Gillis), Sue Warrior (Sandy MacNeil), and Miss Chili Pepper (Tim Gillis).
Keigan MacLean’s Sweet Success had the top time in the second race, clocking in at 2:05.1. The seven-year-old Sweet Lou gelding had a top time of 1:58.1 last year and in 20 starts was 3-1-3.
Also qualifying: Rankinville Shamus (MacNeil), Zero Stress Nora (Doucet), and Real Bigg (Rodney Gillis).
Race three saw Bet On Lucas (Monica Sutherland) and Eastwardho Fun (Lewis MacDonell) arrive at the finish line together in 2:05.1, with Lucas at the wire by a nose. Finer Things (Gillis) rounded out the three-horse field in 2:06.1.
Southfield Sandy (MacDonell), who tied Dirty Bobby for most wins (eight) last year and was the top $7,000 claimer, qualified in 2:03.4 for Route Nineteen Racing.
Also qualifying: Whats Up Doc (Doucet), ABs Future (Gillis), and Woodmere Heather M (Sutherland).
The ‘feature’ race saw four top-class horses reach the finish line in a calm, show-nothing manner, all qualifying in 2:05 and change.
Last year’s horse of the year, Sunshine Lou, was first with Campbell MacIsaac in the sulky for owners Leah and Junior MacKinnon, who also does the training.
Also qualifying: Eastcoast Invader (Sutherland), Cruisin Again (Gillis), and Custards Dungeon (Zach Mullins).
Post time for Sunday’s opening card of racing is 1 p.m. Hopefully our bad-weather Sundays are behind us.
