HARNESS RACING: Three-year-old colts in spotlight at Northside Downs

Three divisions of the Atlantic Sire Stakes were the headliner on a 12-dash card of harness racing Saturday afternoon at Northside Downs in North Sydney, with two of the three divisions won by Cape Breton connections. Galway Bay and Monica Sutherland opened the program by defeating a field of four in two minutes 0.3 seconds [...]

Three divisions of the Atlantic Sire Stakes were the headliner on a 12-dash card of harness racing Saturday afternoon at Northside Downs in North Sydney, with two of the three divisions won by Cape Breton connections. Galway Bay and Monica Sutherland opened the program by defeating a field of four in two minutes 0.3 seconds in the lone B division, for a $6,000 purse. Sutherland also owns and trains the Somewhere Fancy gelding, who finished six lengths ahead of Woodmere Novak, with Woodmere Bédard finishing third.

The pair of A divisions, both for a purse of $16,220, produced one parimutuel upset, with Shekhan and driver Colin Sheppard winning the first A contest in 1:58, over Windemere Britt and Smilin With Lou, for owner Walter Deagle of Inverness. Shekhan returned $21.80 to win. Clare MacDonald guided Tobins Gem to a lifetime best 1:55.2 victory in the second A division, winning by three-and-a-half lengths for Rennison Racing Inc. of Truro and trainer George Rennison.

Oceanview Lou was second, with Darbies Fancy rounding out the top three. Tobins Gem paid $6.80 to win. Mark Pezzarello and Brodie MacPhee both had a pair of driving victories on the program.

Pezzarello first found the winners’ circle with A Fighting Chance, as the four-year-old recorded his first lifetime win, in 2:00.2, for owner Shawn Blanchard. Pezzarello capped the driving double aboard Kiss Me I’m Irish, for her second win in 2026 and 41st lifetime, in 2:00, for owners Ian, Joseph and Bernie MacNeil. MacPhee’s wins came in the day’s final two races, starting with the Winners Over, aboard Peter MacKinnon’s Ranked Contender, who stepped up to earn his fourth win of the season in 1:58.2, two-and-a-half lengths ahead of Elm Grove Quiggly, with Hugh Heff settling for third.

A win aboard Maverick Treasure, his second in a row, enabled MacPhee to sweep the late daily double, with Maverick Treasure prevailing in 2:00.3, over Howmac Napoleon and Rockinforreal. Ardon Mofford, Manzi McVicar and Alison Boutilier are the winning owners. Other winners on the afternoon included: • Pay Line for owner, trainer and driver Roddie Gillis in 1:58.2; • The Ironman for Zach Mullins and owner Joe Nearing in 2:01.2; • Jim’s Big Thrill for Ardon Mofford and owners Jim and Jane Lewis in 2:01.3; • Beers On Me for Adam Lynk and owner Shawn Murphy in 2:01.3; •

And Windemere Ryan for Brett LeBlanc, who co-owns with Harold and Joel LeBlanc, in 1:59.1, over Rollinread and D A Playersdelight. Fans wagered $25,586 on the afternoon. The next live card of harness racing is set to go to post this Saturday at 1 p.m.