Lifeimittatesart defied his 34-1 odds and scored his first Open victory at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino on Sunday afternoon (April 10).
Despite being the longest shot on the toteboard in this week's $10,300 Open Handicap, driver Mike Hennessy sent Lifeimittatesart out to take the lead from the outside post six and carved out fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.3. The Art Major-Oven Mitt gelding had a three-length lead turning for home, but that's when his rivals took aim. Outlaw Gunpowder (Travis Cullen), the early trailer and 1-5 favourite, rallied off the cover of Spinfiniti (Ed Hensley) while 2-1 second choice Get Thereovernight (Bill Tainsh Jr.) fanned out wide from the back of the pack. However, Lifeimittatesart prevailed in a season's best 1:54.1, holding off Outlaw Gunpowder by a quarter-length. The winner's stablemate, Spinfiniti, finished one length behind in third over Get Thereovernight.
Lifeimittatesart paid $71.10 for a $2 Win ticket.
The seven-year-old pacer was claimed on December 13 last year by trainer Ashleigh Hensley and Ed Hensley at Pompano Park. He has since earned three wins in seven starts.
Lifetime, Lifeimittatesart has won 15 races and $214,046 in purses.
Ashleigh Hensley also won the following race with four-year-old mare Balinska Hanover, driven by Ed Hensley, scoring a 1:57.1 front-end victory to remain undefeated in four starts since arriving in Alberta in March.
Before the Hensleys' back-to-back wins, the Travis Cullen stable's four-year-old gelding Counter Strike ran his own win streak up to six with a 1:55.2 off-the-pace victory.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.