Kamali Tucker’s last minute-decision to compete with Rockeyed Optimist during the previous round of harness racing at the National Equestrian Centre turned out to be a good one.

The 16-year-old Bermuda High School for Girls student and Maurice Lowe’s gelding clocked the day’s fastest time of 1:02/4 on the way to winning the opening heat in the Free for All division.

Remarkably, it was the first time Tucker had driven the pony and competed in the time bar, which features the island’s fastest ponies.

“I had never sat behind this pony and it was a last-minute decision,” Tucker told The Royal Gazette.

“Maurice Raynor, the owner and trainer, has always asked me to race him, so I just thought to take this opportunity. He made a great start and I basically just sat there the entire time.

“I called on him a couple of times for him to go, but I didn’t think I’d run that fast as I wasn’t really pushing to get a fast time.

“I didn’t have a certain expectation for him. It was just my first time feeling him out and it was great. He is a great pony and has a lot of potential.”

The time was just two fifths of a second shy of the season’s fastest time of 1:02/2 shared by Free for All rivals War Machine and Special Gold.

Tucker was among a trio of female drivers alongside Candyce Martins and Andrea Westerfield who made their presence felt at the meeting.

Westerfield won the opening heat in the 1:06/2 – 1:07/4 time bar with Burrows Family mare Reign of Terror to get both legs out of the division.

“I am very pleased with her performance so far and hope to only get better from here on out,” Westerfield said.

“I just started racing Reign of Terror on December 15, so I am still getting to know her.”

Martins won both heats in the 1:09/1 and slower time bar with Belhaven Stables’ gelding Smart Machine to get a leg out of the division.

“The pony is progressing nice and I look forward to working with him more,” Martins said.

“I am still trying to figure him out, but he is coming along nicelyand improving every week.”

Also getting a leg out of their division was Teshi Zuill at the helm of Belhaven Stables gelding SomeGoldSomewhere on the way to winning the opening heat in the 1:04/1 – 1:06/1 time bar.

Harness racing continues at the National Equestrian Centre on Friday, starting at 7pm.