Winless at his home track of Exhibition Park Raceway over the summer of 2019, 11-year-old Fall Bliss made his first autumnal start a winning one in Saturday's (Sept. 28) featured event in Saint John, N.B.
Leaving from post four facing four rivals in the $1,500 Winners Over Pace, Fall Bliss and Dr. Mitch Downey played a game of catch-me-if-you-can through opening fractions of :30.1, 1:02.2 and 1:33. Up by three lengths at the head of the lane, Fall Bliss had plenty left with a 29-second final stanza to trip the timer in 2:02 more than two lengths the best. Bugger Max (Mark Haig) and Brandons Cowboy (John Davidson) completed the triactor.
Ellen Stevenson trains and Downey owns Fall Bliss (Blissfull Hall - Fall Festival), now a 49-time winner with nearly $215,000 in career purses.