Woodmere Stealdeal smashes Inverness record

Woodmere Stealdeal returned to the winner’s circle on Sunday at Inverness Raceway and broke the harness racing track record by nearly two seconds as he cruised in the Atlantic Sires Stakes (AtSS).

Mary Clare Macdonald held the son of Steelhead Hanover behind dueling early leaders, and they sat third in a :28.1 first quarter mile. Woodmere Stealdeal moved to the outside as they neared the half in :57.1 and outpaced leader Elliot Moose (Jason Hughes) to snag the front while traveling to three-quarters in 1:25.1.

Elliot Moose attempted to stay with the homeward-bound foe, but Woodmere Stealdeal was on a mission. The gelding extended to a four-and-a-half-length margin as he blazed to the finish in 1:54.2. Elliot Moose was more than eight lengths ahead of third-place finisher Hotlikewasabi (Richie Baryluk).

WOODMERE STEALDEAL REPLAY

The 1:54.2 clocking lowered a 1:56.1 three-year-old pacing gelding mark set earlier on the card Dustylanegoliath, who won a different AtSS division. His time broke a record held by Abner The Great since 2016 and Tobins Rebel, who equaled it in 2020. Woodmere Stealdeal’s effort missed Formal Affair’s all-age track record by a fifth of a second but tops times from all divisions other than aged pacing gelding.

Daniel Romo trains Woodmere Stealdeal for Kevin Doery of Middle Sackville and Robert Sumarah of Halifax, who bought him for $22,500 from the Atlantic Classic sale. The gelding was perfect through 13 starts as a two-year-old but lost his first race on debut as a sophomore. After winning on Jul. 17 at Truro, he lost two straight prior to this victory. Overall, he is 15-for-18 lifetime with $89,064 in earnings.

The card began with three divisions of AtSS “B” action in the first four races. The winners were Dusty Lane Morgan (Macdonald, 1:58.4), a three-year-old American Gigolo gelding, Betterthanbutter (Myles Heffernan, 2:02), a sophomore gelded son of Westwardho Hanover, and Elm Grove Penelope (Redmond Doucet, 2:01), a daughter of Stonebridge Terror, in the three-year-old pacing filly division.

Woodmere Leah kicked off the four divisions of AtSS “A” with a 1:57.2 score against three-year-old pacing fillies for trainer and driver Darren Crowe. After taking the lead twice, the filly resisted a first-over challenger and survived a late-closing rival to win for the fourth time in 2021. The daughter of Rollwithitharry is four-for-14 lifetime for owners Kenneth and Susan Lowthers of Three Mile Plains. They purchased her for $16,000 from the Atlantic Classic sale.

Dustylanegoliath bottomed out his foes in the first split for three-year-old pacing males and produced the most impressive mile of the afternoon at that point, breaking the track record and winning by four and a quarter lengths in 1:56.1. The son of Steelhead Hanover has won 10 times under the guidance of trainer/driver Gilles Barrieau and has earned $68,546 from 20 starts for owner Daniel Ross of Belfast. Ross bought the gelding for $15,500 at the Atlantic Classic sale.

Mystifying swept to the front at the half and drew off to win the second contest for three-year-old filly pacers by five and three quarter lengths in 1:57.1. Barrieau drove for trainer Darryl Maclean of Winsloe, who co-owns with fellow Winsloe resident Gordon Maclean and Stephen Downey of Quispamsis. They paid $5,000 for the Source Of Pride filly at the Atlantic Classic sale. The win was her seventh in eight starts this season and 10th lifetime in 21. She has now earned $26,815.

The AtSS visits Charlottetown Driving Park next on Aug. 14. For full AtSS standings, click here.

Inverness Raceway hosts its next card on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink