The 2024 season opener at Century Downs is now in the books with If Only Id Known prevailing in the top class of the day, but slightly upstaged by a qualifier before the Saturday, March 16 pari-mutuel card.

Saturday's seasonal lidlifter featured a $12,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace as the top class of the day. A solid six-horse field went postward, with punters sending off Outlaw Allie Oops (Brandon Campbell) and If Only Id Known (David Kelly) sent off as the 8-5 co-favourites. Campbell utilized his inside post three starting spot to gain early command and sashay through sensible panels of :30, :59 and 1:28 that certainly played to the advantage of the pacesetter.

At least that's how it would seem. Kelly gave it his best shot and right-lined If Only Id Known down the backside approaching the third station and made solid gains on the front-runner through the final turn. Heading for home, If Only Id Known continued to gobble up ground and pulled away from Outlaw Allie Oops in the lane for the two-length score in 1:57 over the track listed as fast with a one-second variant. Goodbye Ceia Later (Mike Hennessy) closed well to complete the top trio.

If Only Id Known (Shadow Play - Michelles Fury) is owned by her trainer, Chris Lancaster, along with Velda Olding of Abbotsford, B.C. The six-year-old mare paid $5.30 to win as the slight betting favourite, picking up her 18th career win in the process. Her lifetime bankroll now stands at $192,583.

Before the pari-mutuel card, Century Downs hosted four qualifying dashes and saved the best for last during that session as Alberta's 2023 Horse of the Year, Shark Week made his 2024 debut.  

With regular pilot Mike Hennessy at the controls, Shark Week showed he's back and ready for a tussle while tightening for racing action against a triad of older pacers. Up 12 lengths after a :27.3 opening panel, Shark Week swam confidently through middle sections in :56.3 and 1:26.2 to increase that lead to 15 lengths. A :27.2 final quarter widened that gap to 17-plus lengths with the mile timed in 1:53.4.

Now six, Shark Week (Vertical Horizon - Shark Gone Bad) is co-owned by Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta. and trainer Rod Hennessy of Strathmore, Alta. In 2023, Shark Week prevailed in 20 of his 24 attempts and made history with the first sub-1:50 pacing mile in western Canada with a 1:49.2 performance on June 3.

Rod told Trot Insider earlier this week that he expects Century Downs to card a Preferred Pace on its next condition sheet. Whether the class will fill is another matter, altogether.

Live harness racing at Century Downs will take place every Saturday at 12:45 p.m. through the end of March and then every Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 12:45 p.m. through the end of August. There is no racing on Friday, June 14 with racing taking place on Sunday, June 16 at 12:45 p.m., and there is no racing on Saturday, June 29 with racing taking place on Sunday, June 30 at 6:05 p.m. The 2024 meet runs from March 16 through Aug. 31.

For the results from the 2024 season opener at Century Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)