Driver Jamie Gray was red-hot in stakes action at Century Downs on Saturday (June 2) picking up a pair of wins in the eliminations for the Alberta Princess.
The first win for Gray came with Bearcat Josi in the first $7,500 elimination. Bearcat Josi settled into third early as Born A Dragon (Keith Clark) fronted the field to the :28.2 opening quarter. Gray right-lined Bearcat Josi for a front-side brush to the lead and cleared before the :58 half. There would be no rest as favoured Cusdmagicdragon (Kelly Hoerdt) sprang from fourth to challenge, and Noisy Nora (Serge Masse) made that a three-way tussle for the top heading to the third station.
Noisy Nora started to fade around the final turn after that three-high bid, allowing Clark to angle out Born A Dragon around Cusdmagicdragon for the stretch drive. The two favourites dug deep but the leader would not relent as Bearcat Josi held on for the half-length win in 1:57.2. Cusdmagicdragon stayed for second with Born A Dragon completing the triactor and advancing to next week's final.
Owned by Derek Stout and trained by Doug Stout, Bearcat Josi (Blue Burner - Barona Josie) picked up her first win of the season in her fourth start to bump her lifetime win total to five and her career purses to $64,247.
Gray returned to the winner's circle in the third Alberta Princess elim with favoured Ginger Beer, and with different tactics than those employed in the first tally. He pocketed Ginger Beer behind True Horizon (Phil Giesbrecht) through fractions of :29.1, :58.4 and 1:27.3. Past the third station, Gray slipped out three-wide around the pacesetter and first-up challenger My Day (Dave Kelly).
With a clear shot at the front pair turning for home and a :29.3 final quarter, Ginger Beer chugged home and hit the wire first in 1:57.2. My Day raced well at 10-1 to finish second ahead of a closing Duannes Horizon (Brandon Campbell).
Keith Clark trains and co-owns Ginger Beer (Vertical Horizon - Red Star Ginny) along with Albertans John Hind and Doris McDougall. The refreshingly-named filly sports a 3-0-1 tally from eight seasonal starts along with $32,498 in lifetime earnings.
The fastest of the three elims was captured by Custard Lite, a gate-to-wire winner for driver Paul Davies. After putting up splits of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:27.1, Custard Lite found another gear and pulled away from the pack with a :29.3 close to trip the timer in 1:56.4. Roaring Home (Clark) followed in the pocket throughout and finished three-plus lengths back in second while Nice Aint My Color (Gray) managed to scoot up the pylons inside of Hot Kiss (Hoerdt) for show dough.
Trained by Gord Abbott, Custard Lite (Custard The Dragon - Enlightened One) notched her third lifetime win with the ABSS score and lifted her career earnings to $64,448 for owners Lorne Duffield and Rod Hennessy.
In non-stakes action, American Passion was winner in the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open for driver Brandon Campbell and trainer Sanford Campbell. American Passion brushed first-up on the backside to pressure pacesetter G Ts Jamie (Kelly Hoerdt), put that foe away in the lane and then held off the late charge of last week's winner Lydi Lula Belle (Paul Davies) for the 1:55.4 score.
Owned by Calgary's Raymond Henry, American Passion (American Ideal - Felicia Hanover) picked up her 30th lifetime victory and boosted her purses over the $221,000 mark.
For the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Century Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.