Two of the fastest two-year-olds in Indiana this summer are expected to be thick in the hunt for honours during the harness racing season opener at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre today.

Gold Legacy, a filly, and Pokie L Time, a colt, have been purchased by Scott Constable and Michael DeCosta, and are due to arrive this month.

“They both did very well and were very successful this summer in Indiana, so they are probably the top two-year-olds coming out of Indiana this summer,” Charles Whited Jr, the Bermuda Driving Horse and Pony Club president, told The Royal Gazette.

This brings the number of two-year-olds purchased from Indiana during the off-season to five.

Andy Stoneham is now the owner of colt Wiggle It Jiggle It, a full brother to Colin Mello’s Pocket De Gold, which holds the mare’s track record at Vesey Street.

Antoine Jennings, who is making a return to the harness racing scene this season, has purchased colt Special Tux, which is half-brother to Special Gold and owned by Lee and Sergio Raynor.

Also investing in a new pony over the summer was association president Whited, who has gelding Rock Eyed Optimist, the half brother of his three-year-old colt Gold N Glory.

Harness racing will commence at 6pm today with heats scheduled in the Free for All, featuring the fastest ponies on the island, the Junior Free for All and regular time-bar divisions.

“It’s going to be a very exciting season,” Whited said. “We actually had 25 ponies show up last weekend, just for the fun day, which was the equivalent to our biggest race day last season.

“There are still ten ponies in training to come out, so we’re expecting numbers to be knocking 30 to 35, which represents like a 20 per cent increase in ponies racing from last season.

“This sends the committee and certainly people who are considering reinvesting a strong message. We are excited and looking forward to seeing everybody coming out.”