The MacLellan family’s $3,500 Malcolm Dan Pace proved to be another big win for the MacDonald family’s Mcland, with Walter Walker defying the 16-1 odds for a fourth win in a row for the six-year-old gelding, owned by Ella and Danny MacDonald.
-by Bill Dunphy
There’s an old Monkees song from back in the day that has in its lyrics: “Now I’m a believer – Not a trace of doubt in my mind!”
There were probably a few people singing that tune leaving Inverness Raceway last Wednesday following the $3,500 MacLellan family’s Malcolm Dan Pace.
Mcland, sent off at 16-1 despite showing three straight victories on his card, overhauled odds-on favourite Whats Up Doc from the pocket to take the winner’s share of that hefty purse.
Driver Walter Walker had the right helmet to follow starting from the second-tier post seven, gluing Mcland to the back of Whats Up Doc (Redmond Doucet) to secure the two-hole as the rail starter went to the lead.
Mcland rode the pocket behind :30, 1:00.1 and 1:30.1 splits, then rocketed to the outside as they entered the final turn and gained an edge on the pacesetter.
Whats Up Doc fought on from the pylons but was unable to resist Mcland, who pushed clear to a one-length victory in the winners-over-class event in 1:59. Revenant (Mark Pezzarello) finished third.
Mcland entered the Wednesday feature off a victory in the winners-over pace at Inverness, which was his third consecutive tally for trainer A.D. MacDonald and owners Ella and Danny MacDonald.
The six-year-old son of Mcardle-Staceys Lady moved to four-for-seven this season and now has 11 wins and $59,334 in earnings from career 92 starts. He paid $35.30 to win as the second-longest price in the eight-horse field.
It was a night when no one driver dominated the card with eight different winners, including the first win of the season for Andrew MacLean.
Driving MJ Rae, who he trains for his son and owner Ryder, MacLean left post two in the first race and went gate-to-wire in 2:01.2. It was also the first win of the season for the four-year-old Rollwithitharry gelding.
Harold LeBlanc Jr. was in town with three horses, picking up a pair of wins on the card.
Keigan Madden won race two with David Lloyd George, a horse he shares ownership with LeBlanc, who does the training.
The nine-year-old American Ideal gelding was also a gate-to-wire winner in 2:00.3.
LeBlanc was on the bike with Windemere Ryan in race six for a 1:59.4 win on the Joel LeBlanc trainee.
Fan favourite Bettie White, a five-year-old grey mare by Arthur Blue Chip, found her winning ways in Wednesday’s third race for a 1:59.1 win with Zach Mullins on the sulky.
It was the first win of the season for Bettie White who had a 6-5-1 record last season for the mother-son owners Darlene and Brock MacLellan.
Windmeredontmatter also made its way to the winner’s circle for the first time this season with Campbell MacIsaac taking charge from start to finish for a 2:00.1 mile.
The 11-year-old Articulator gelding is trained by Alex Sutherland, who also shares ownership with Malcolm MacEachen.
Shaun MacDonald’s Afair Somewhere picked up his third win of the season with Rodney Gillis getting a big finish out of the seven-year-old Lyonssomewhere gelding, coming from parked fifth at the three-quarter pole to win by a length in 2:01.3.
And four-year-old Invernesser Onions Te Go matched his lifetime mark of 1:59.1, set two weeks ago, with driver Redmond Doucet also coming back from parked fifth at three-quarters for an exciting finish ahead of Old Buck (Monica Sutherland) and La Playa Deo (Andrew MacLean). Racing resumes tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. and again this Sunday for a 1 p.m. card.