Evelyn Harms teamed Southwind Alice (5f Muscle Hill-Accountability-Pine Chip) to victory Saturday evening at Kawartha Downs to kick off the 2016 harness racing monte season in North America. The winning pair were clocked in 2:01f in the C$4,000 purse pari-mutuel contest and the trainer is Dave Dowling for owner Allan Neal. Off at 3.25/1 odds they defeated last years’ top performing Santo Domingo (9g Amigo Hall-Victory Lady-Garland Lobell) with Marit Valstad up for trainer Mike Guitard as 1.55/1 favorite and third finishing Massive Muscles (5g Muscle Mass-Flirting Lavec-Mr. Lavec) ridden by Karoline Nielsen for trainer Julie Walker.
Scheduled Ontario events next up include June 19 at Clinton, July 1 at Dresden and July 16 at Georgian Downs.
The 2015 season wrapped up on October 31 with a C$10,000 final at Flamboro. Santo Domingo scored in that one timed in 1:59.3h for Marit Valstad. Earlier on September 26, a C$10,000 event at Mohawk went to Santo Domingo timed in a seven-eighths mile track North American record 1:56.4s with Philippe Masschaele aboard. Tragically Shipp (9g by Shipps Speed) posted back to back wins for Nathalie Elliott on September 12 at Hiawatha timed in 2:02f in a C$3,000 test and August 29 at Georgian Downs in a C$5,000 event timed in 1:59.4f.
Watch for monte action throughout North America in 2016.
Thomas H. Hicks
Monteamerica.com