Justabitcrazy has been anything but since driver-trainer Ryan Grundy acquired him in January of 2016.

“I’d been leasing him from Cory Vicker for the first summer at Century Downs,” Grundy told Peter Watts for a piece on the HRA website. “Cory works for Gerry Hudon and couldn’t make it down to the races very often. I was looking for another pacer for my stable so we struck a deal on a lease. I bought him out in January of last year.”

Since then, Justabitcrazy has been climbing steadily through the claiming ranks. He was at the $4,000 claiming level when Grundy acquired him. He spent most of last summer at the $10,000 level and then moved up to the $20,000 level for the Edmonton winter meet. Five wins and a couple of seconds showed he could handle the pace. The seven-year-old earned $25,000 during the Edmonton meet and has nearly $160,000 on his lifetime card. So he’s more than covered the investment Grundy made in him.

Disappointedly on Sunday afternoon, he had one of those days that every athlete has once in awhile, finishing sixth in a $20,000 claiming race, pacing against the likes of Getthereovernight, which won, and Metajka Road, both of whom he has beaten in the past. The race went in 1:55.1, an indication that the new limestone surface is rounding into form.

“I’ll probably take him with me to Fraser Downs next month for a week or two out there,” Grundy said. “I’ve got my two three-year-olds, Senga Nitro and Shesamysterytome in to qualify in the next week or two. ‘Senga’s eligible for the Keith Linton Memorial elimination at Fraser Downs on April 14. Shesamysterytome goes in the Penny Bath Memorial elimination the next day and the finals in both stakes are a week later. They’re both $75,000 purses so I’m hoping with the rest they’ve had and the training they’re getting that they’ll be ready to do well.”

Senga Nitro won six of eight starts and nearly $95,000 as a two-year-old. Shesamysterytome earned more than $31,000 for a 2-4-1 log in eight starts at two. Not bad for a $2,700 investment at the ASHA yearling sale in September, 2015.

(Horse Racing Alberta)