Red October raised eyebrows after producing the fastest time for the second straight week at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre last Saturday night.

Simsfield Stables’ five-year-old gelding stopped the clock at 1:03/1 on the way to victory in the third of four Free for All heats.

The time was two seconds faster than the 1:05/3 Red October and driver Kirista Rabain posted in the season opener eight days earlier at the Devonshire race track.

With two wins in four starts, Red October is off to a wonderful start to the campaign since returning from a leg injury that curtailed the horse’s season during the previous season, much to the delight of owner-trainer Aaron Sims.

“Red October holds track records on every track in Indiana so he’s fast and it’s just getting him used to this track,” Sims told The Royal Gazette.

“I got him in late the first year he was here and last year was his second season and he came up sore. This is his third and hopefully everything is good to go.”

It proved to be another fruitful night for Sims as his four-year-old gelding, Gold Rush, posted the third fastest time of 1:04/3 on the way to a first victory of the season in the second Free for All heat with Rabain again at the helm.

Sims admits the sparkling form his ponies have produced so early in the season has exceeded his expectations.

“I was pretty surprised to be honest considering it’s only the second race day and both of them put down times not far off from their lifetime best. It was pretty shocking and exciting,” he said.

“Hopefully they continue to keep going the way they’re going, especially Red October coming back from an injury last year. Gold Rush is just a baby. He just turned four so it’s pretty exciting.

“It’s still early, anything can happen. I’m sure the other ponies will get faster, no doubt about that. But I’m putting in my time and my homework, and hopefully we can continue going fastest every week.”

Red October’s lifetime best stands at 1:01/4 and Gold Rush’s at 1:02/3.

Belhaven Stables’ gelding Smart Machine produced the second fastest time of 1:03/4 with trainer/driver and Driving Horse and Pony Club president Candyce Martins for the second straight race day, crossing the line three fifths of a second behind Red October in the penultimate Free for All heat.

Smart Machine and Martins won the opening Free for All heat in 1:05/3 and Rockeyed Optimist and owner-driver Maurice Raynor the last with a time of 1:05/4.

Holy Grail (McKeisha Smith) swept both heats in the two Junior Free for All heats, while Victoria’s Secret (Cindy Mayeaux), Google Me Twice (Naje Degraff), Reel Desire (Belhaven Stables) and Iron Mike (Belhaven Stables) were among those achieving victories in the slower divisions.

Google Me Twice, Victoria’s Secret, Iron Mike, Reel Desire and Holy Grail were the only double heat winners, and Darico Clarke, Kaleb Camara, Martins, Rabain and Jashaun Young the only drivers achieving multiple victories.

The night’s closest race saw Holy Grail pip sole rival Inwood’s Realist (Belhaven Stables) by a nose after both ponies crossed the line in 1:09 flat.

Racing continues at Vesey Street on Sunday, beginning at 1pm.