 Candyce Martin IslandStats.com
Following our live coverage of the holiday festivities, the headlines today belong to Candyce Martin and Smart Machine.
In a season that has already seen its fair share of drama, Heat 16 provided a moment of pure sporting theatre. Martin and her pony engaged in a fierce, high-speed duel with Philip Correia and Red October that brought the capacity crowd to its feet. As they crossed the wire, the clock stopped at a blistering 1:01&4—a new season track record and the fastest time recorded this year. It was a performance of precision and power that narrowly edged out Correia in a finish that reinforced exactly why these two teams remain the gold standard of the circuit.
The rivalry between the two drivers had been simmering long before the record-breaking run. In an earlier encounter that served as a precursor to the main event, Martin and Correia went nose-to-nose in a finish so tight it defied the naked eye. Both ponies hit the line with identical times of 1:02&2, forcing a tense wait as the judges consulted the photo finish. After a meticulous review, it was Philip Correia and Red October who were awarded the victory by the narrowest of margins, setting the stage for Martin's later redemption.
With the holiday racing window now concluded, officials have confirmed the Time Bar winners after totaling performances from Boxing Day through to New Year’s Day. Smart Machine took top honours in the elite 1:03/0 & Faster bracket, followed closely by Red October. The competitive 1:03/1 to 1:04/4 category saw Double Time claim the first-place trophy, holding off a deep field that included SomeGoldSomeWhere, Rockeyed Optimist, Gold Rush, and Huntinforgold.
In the mid-tier divisions, Inwood's Realist secured the top spot in the 1:05/0 to 1:06/2 bracket ahead of Holy Grail, while Gold-N-Glory led the way in the 1:06/3 to 1:08/0 class, followed by Kool The Fire and Inwood's Progress. The final accolades of the afternoon went to Reel Desire, who bested Victoria's Secret in the 1:08/1 to 1:09/0 time bar, and Gold Legacy, who held off Just A Dream to take the title in the 1:09/1 to 1:12/4 division. As the season moves forward, the target on Smart Machine's back has never been larger.
Click Here to see the Full 2025 Harness Pony Racing New Years Day Results
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