Mothers Melody and Shark Festival were victorious in the $10,000 Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Filly Stakes for three-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Alberta Downs, but the final division was marred by an accident at the top the stretch.
Charismatic Art (J.F. Gagne) was leading the fillies around the final turn in the second division when she broke stride causing interference to Rummys Command (Jim Marino) in behind and Blue Star Escape (Kelly Hoerdt), who fell in the backfield. The rest of the field was able to get around the breaker with Shark Festival (Keith Clark) closing off cover for the 1:56.3 victory. Favourite Rollin Deep (Travis Cullen) finished one and a quarter length behind in second with Great Desire (Philip Giesbrecht) back in third.
Marino was up on his feet quickly after being dumped from the sulky. Hoerdt told Trot Insider he was doing okay after the race, but headed to hospital to have his left ankle x-rayed. Both drivers booked off their remaining assignments after the 10th race accident.
Furthers updates on the drivers and horses involved will be reported when details become available.
As for Shark Festival, the Ralph Klein Breeders Stakes champion earlier this summer, she now has two wins in 13 starts and $31,991 banked in her sophomore season. The homebred Shadow Play-Shark Fest filly is owned by Clark and partners Harvey and Ann Jaeger of Airdrie, Alta. She paid $9.90 to win as the 7-2 third choice.
Mothers Melody kicked home off a three-hole trip to win the earlier division in 1:55 for driver Jamie Gray. Favourite Justapassin Fanci (Travis Cullen) rallied home from the back of the pack to grab the runner-up honours one length behind while Make Three Wishes (Keith Clark) finished third.
Mothers Melody, a daughter of Camystic out of Pop Art, is also trained and co-owned by Gray, along with Neil Malloch of Wetaskiwin, Alta. Unraced as a two-year-old, she has won four of her 11 starts and $29,503 in purses this year. Sent postward as the 9-2 fourth choice, she paid $11.40 to win.
Prior to the accident, Hoerdt and Marino each earned victories on the Saturday card. Hoerdt drove Doug Stout trainee Blue Star Beauty to an 11-1 upset victory in the $8,400 Fillies & Mares Open Pace in 1:55.2 while Marino won with the Lance Ward-trained three-year-old filly Two Timing, who went from last to first in 2:00.2.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.
In spite of the interference
In spite of the interference to trailing horses the "Great Tradition" of Harness Racing was maintained(No Parimutual Refund)!!