Saturday evenings before switching to Sunday afternoons.

Harness racing's third season since being re-established is set to kick off tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Vesey Street. Since the 1989-90 season upwards of 30 ponies have been imported from various locations in the United States.

Unfortunately this year some have also been lost as old favourite J.B.'s Hurry Home `J', the track record-holder for almost a year, has gone to Florida to further his race career at Sunshine Raceway along with Ell Dee's Uncle Bud and Ell Dee's Laszlo.

To compensate for this loss, however, there have been quite a few ponies imported this year, including Taylor Maid, Catch A Fire and L&S Mowtown Scott from Florida. Also there is Penny's Rockin Road from Massachusetts and Paceway Debutante from New York.

Expected here be two of the top three-year-old pacers in the United States, Eddie the Great and Ponder Babe, along with Tina's Princess. The first Bermuda-bred pony to race, Just A Gigolo, will make his debut in the season opener.

The present track record-holder, Nateway, owned and driven by Michael DeCosta, whittled the track record down to an incredible 1:08/3 at the end of last season. Experts from the United States said it would be freak luck if any pony went faster than 1:10 on Bermuda's small track -- but Nateway proved them wrong. However, on paper Eddie The Great and Ponder Babe could pose a serious challenge to Nateway this season.

Bermuda's presence in pony racing in the US is growing. Fourteen members of the driving club went to the ITPA Stake Races in Rutland, Vermont this year.

Two Bermudian-owned ponies came first and second, Ponde Babe and Eddie The Great respectively.

Michael DeCosta drove Eddie The Great in the free-for-all and won, clocking up the fastest time of the two day race meet. It is being arranged for a Bermuda flag to be sent to the ITPA so it can be flown at stake races next year.

There will be two new drivers at Vesey Street this year, with Ed (Tom) Matthews driving his own Catch A Fire and Anthony Rego driving Creed's Little Miss. Michael DeCosta will be driving Nateway, Tina's Princess and Eddie The Great.

The youngest driver, Joseph Viera, will be driving his own Ell Dee's Mary Ellen, the smallest pony on the track. Annie Sousa will be driving Little Dinger, Charles Whited will drive Grand Magic and Taylor Maid while Eddie Roque will drive V Six and L&S Mowtown Scott.

The other driver-horse combinations are: Gerald Mello/Sydney DeSilva (Paceway Debutant and Sandrap); Francis DeSilva (Penny's Rockin Road along with the only trotter currently racing Meadow Rose); Michael DeSilva will be driving Penny's Wildwood and Heidi Mello will drive Misty's Little Dream.

Derek Cocklin will drive Bermuda Warrior; Fernand Rego will drive his own J.B's T.W. Bell, Daniel Greenslade will drive Hoe Down Don and the soon to arrive Ponder Babe, with Ross Adderly driving Just A Gigolo. Edward Skater will be driving Sandacre Tashiba while Mark Lindo will drive Charger's Rob Roy.

MICHAEL DECOSTA -- The leading driver last season with Nateway.