Burrows Family pulled off an impressive double during the harness racing season opener at the National Equestrian Centre last weekend.

The team’s mares Reign of Terror and Shady Maple both won fiercely contested heats by a nose with drivers Catrina Stephens and owner David Burrows Jr at the helm.

Stephens pipped rival driver Teshi Zuill at the helm of Bellhaven Stables’ gelding, SomeGoldSomeWhere, at the finish in a two-horse race in the 1:05.4 – 1:07.4 division.

Lightening then struck twice for the team as Burrows replicated the feat in the very next heat with victory over Tahzil Flood at the helm of Bellhaven Stables’ gelding, Inwoods Realists, in another exciting two-horse showdown in the 1:04.3 – 1:05.3 division.

Laying down a marker in the free for all division featuring the island’s fastest harness ponies was Special Gold with driver Andrea Westerfield in the bike.

Lee and Sergio Raynor’s stallion stopped the clock at 1:04.3 on the way to victory in the second and final heat of the free for all division.

Competing in the same division were Bellhaven Stables’ mare, Double Time, and Maurice Raynor’s gelding, Rockeyed Optimist, that produced the second and third fastest times.

Double Time stopped the clock at 1:04.4 with driver Zuill while Rockeyed Optimist ran twice in 1:05.1 with owner, trainer and driver Raynor at the helm.

Raynor and steered Rockeyed Optimist to victory in the first heat in the free for all division to get the new season off on the front foot.

Bellhaven Stables’ gelding, Gold-N-Glory and mare, Inwoods Progress, were the only two entries that competed in the junior free for all division.

Zuill guided Inwoods progress to victory in the first heat in 1:07.2 while trainer and driver Candyce Martins and Gold-N-Glory won the second in 1:07.3.

Three ponies were scratched from the racecard with Aaron Sims’ Indiana-bred pony Simsfield Hardtimes and War Machine, the reigning Champion of Champions, among the notable absentees.