Sharp Vines To Heaven dominant in first Truro win

Vines To Heaven (Rock N Roll Heaven), a nine-time winner in 14 starts this year, revitalized her hot form with a five-and-a-half-length romp over her Winners-Over harness racing foes at Truro Raceway on Friday.

Reinsman Todd Trites dropped the mare into fifth from post six as Big Engine (Evan Wilson) and Don’t Ask Logan (Ryder Matthews Rennison) battled for the lead in a :27.4 first quarter. Vines To Heaven was first to act, advancing first-over as the field approached the half in :58, and the eight-year-old edged clear as they hit three-quarters in 1:27.4.

She ran up the score as she sprinted for home, opening up five-and-a-half lengths on Big Engine to win in 1:56.4.

Dont Ask Logan caught Big Engine for second but was disqualified for interference. Havarti (Paul Langille) was promoted to third.

VINES TO HEAVEN REPLAY

Vines To Heaven is clicking at a 64 per cent rate this season, thanks in part to a six-race win streak earlier in the season. He began the campaign at Woodbine Mohawk Park before he was claimed for $15,000 and shipped to Rideau Carleton. The ownership group of Aiden Ferrish of Summerside, Ian Macdonald and Clarissa Maher of Lower Sackville, and Andrea Rennison of Truro purchased the mare on Apr. 7 and moved her to the Maritimes. She lost her first race at Charlottetown and another at Truro before the Friday win.

She has won 27 of her 107 lifetime starts and raked in $217,592. George Rennison trains the mare.

Also on the card, Desir Dorleans (Goliath Bayama) won for the first time as a 13-year-old. The Donald Ellis trainee went wire-to-wire while under the guidance of Trites dealing with persistent pressure in a 2:03.2 victory. The mare has won 23 times lifetime and earned $42,211 in 199 outings. It was also Ellis’s first win as a trainer this year.

DESIR DORLEANS REPLAY

Always B Sweet, a four-year-old Always B Miki gelding, crushed his opponents in a nine-and-three-quarter-length win in his Canadian debut for driver Darren Crowe.

ALWAYS B SWEET REPLAY

The horse, who previously completed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for the Thomas Cancelliere barn, was acquired by new owners Kevin Harvey, Rudge Racing, and Hardy Mill Stable in April. He competed in stakes events at two and was performing well in conditioned events last season. Anthony Stymest, who returned to training this season after a two-year hiatus, now conditions the gelding. He recorded his first training double since Jul. 2015 on Friday.

Crowe was the day’s top driver with a natural hat trick in the first three races of the day.

Truro Raceway’s next card is schedule for Jun. 10.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink