Going four-wide at the finish, Talk Some Smack and driver Jason Hughes were in sixth place at the top of the stretch, coming back to win the $3,500 38th Annual Johnny and Margaret Allan Ian Memorial pace in 1:57.3 on Sunday for owner-trainer Kevin MacDonald.
-by Bill Dunphy
Not even the threat of rain on Wednesday or the lure of the Broad Cove Concert or the beach on Sunday could stop harness racing fans from flocking to Inverness Raceway last week.
Two of the biggest race cards of the season not only enjoyed big crowds, but also some of the best racing you will see anywhere.
The rain did hold off on Friday, and except for a bit of wind, it turned into a perfect night under the lights.
The card was highlighted by the $20,200 Phil Pinkney Memorial for two-year-old pacing fillies, which saw Lady Of Malice full of venom for her opponents in a dominant victory.
With a :28.2 final quarter, Paul Langille held off brief challenges by Here For The Party (Keith Legge) and Fox Harbour Filly (Marc Campbell to win by five lengths in 2:00.1.
In the $2,000 winners-over feature in the final race of the nine-dash card, Hugh Heff joined the 50-win club with a gritty victory.
He slid into the pocket early for Randy Getto but left the pylons after a :28.2 first panel and hooked up with Whats Up Doc (Redmond Doucet) through :56.4 and 1:27.1 fractions.
Mcland (Walter Walker), winner of two straight in the winners-over, came off the helmet of the first-over challenger to form a three-across melee into the stretch. Hugh Heff entered the straight on top, and he fought on to defeat Whats Up Doc by a half-length in 1:57.2. Mcland hung on for third.
Hugh Heff, a six-year-old son of Betterthancheddar-Danika Patrix, achieved his 50th victory in his 108th start. He has been a mainstay of the top pacing level at Northside Downs since moving to the Maritimes in August 2024 for trainer Dana Getto and owners Randy Getto of New Waterford, Susan MacSween of River Ryan, and Wayne Hardy of Sydney. He won his first eight races in Nova Scotia and took that year’s Governor’s Cup Series final, part of a season in which he won more races than any horse in North America. He was named the Horse of the Year at Northside in 2024 and 2025.
The gelding has a 2-1-5 card in nine starts this season, contributing to a $126,016 career bankroll.
Wednesday’s card also saw an exciting finish in the fourth race that ended in a dead heat for first between Effie May Cay (Walter Walker) and Drink Up Mouchacho (Redmond Doucet), both hitting the wire in 2:01.1, followed by ABs Future (Rodney Gillis) a fraction of a second behind for third.
Native son Damian MacLellan was home from Ontario to pick up some catch drives on Wednesday.
He had a 2:02 win aboard Dirty Bobby for owners Redmond Doucet and Andy Stewart and two second-place finishes – one with La Playa Deo for owner-trainer Madison Poirier; and one with Hippyjohn, owned by the estate of Roderick (Colonel) Smith.
Sunday’s card featured the 38th running of the Johnny and Margaret Allan Ian Memorial pace for a purse of $3,500.
In a stunning stretch drive, Talk Some Smack went from last on the final turn to first at the finish in the overnight feature.
The Kevin MacDonald-trained gelding dropped back to sixth for Jason Hughes, taking the pylons to the quarter in :29.2 before moving third-over in the six-horse field approaching the half in :58.2.
Talk Some Smack remained on cover to three-quarters in 1:28.3, swooped five-wide at the bottom of the final turn, and steamrolled past fellow closer Stay Pumped (Danny Gillis) and pacesetter Whats Up Doc (Redmond Doucet) to record a 1:57.3 score. The surge of Stay Pumped, beaten a quarter-length, was enough to snag second from Whats Up Doc.
With his victory in the winners-over-class event, Talk Some Smack is two-for-seven this season. MacDonald, of Port Hood, owns the seven-year-old Artspeak-Astraean gelding, a 16-time winner in 114 starts with $31,817 in the bank.
There were also five Atlantic Sires Stakes races for two-year-old pacing colts, including two $12,800 A-division events which saw both winners leave from post six – not an easy feat to accomplish.
Undefeated Woodmere Rock It and Malicious Benny took the spotlight with resilient performances.
Woodmere Rock It, hindered early, rocketed home with a final quarter in :27.2 and finished in 1:58.3 for driver Adam Merner to maintain his perfect record.
Much More Malice (Gilles Barrieau) gained for second over Woodmere Dougal (Corey MacPherson).
The other A-division contest saw Malicious Benny show grit down the stretch after going a long way uncovered to take the first A-division race.
Away fourth to the quarter in :30.2 for Clare MacDonald, Malicious Benny pulled out turning towards the stands and was up to the wheel of leader Kingstown (Jason Hughes) going by the half in :59.4. Malicious Benny encroached further to three-quarters in 1:29 and trudged alongside the leader through the last turn, then finally wore him down in late-stretch and reached up to win by a nose in 1:58.3. Camco Kolton (Corey MacPherson) finished third.
The $6,000 ATSS “B” divisions for freshman male pacers were won by Elm Grove Verybest in 2:00 for trainer-driver Landon Campbell; Pour Me Another in 2:00.3 with Jason Hughes aboard; and This Guns For Hire for Clare MacDonald in 2:00.1.
Mark MacQuarrie was also home from Ontario and got to spend some time with his dad, Angus, before he passed away on Tuesday of last week.
He had the opportunity to drive Woodmere Novak, the last horse his dad owned in partnership with Mark’s sister, Angela MacArthur, and trainer Zach Mullins, who thought of Angus as his grandfather.
Live harness racing goes back to Wednesdays, beginning tonight. Post time is 7 p.m.