Trainer Jamie Gray won both $25,000 divisions of the Norm Kennedy Memorial for two-year-old male pacers while David Kelly trainees swept the companion Emerald Filly divisions in stakes action on Wednesday evening, July 30 at Century Downs.

In the Kennedy Memorial, undefeated Ruler Of Dragons ($4.50) lowered his lifetime mark to 1:56.3 while the maiden-breaking Mayhem N Madness ($4.20) scored in 1:58.3 with Phil Giesbrecht driving the former freshman and Gray behind his other winning trainee.

Ruler Of Dragons made the winning move in his division after a contested 27 opening quarter and :58.1 half. He went head-to-head with the Kelly-trained and driven Edwin Hanover as they raced to three-quarters in 1:27 and wore down that rival to score by 1-1/4 lengths. Edwin Hanover held on for second over inside closer The Great Shark (Thomas Miller).

Ruler Of Dragons, a gelding by Custard The Dragon out of Lady Neigh Neigh purchased for $36,000 from the 2024 ASHA Yearling Sale, is now two-for-two for Gray and British Columbia-based co-owners J J J Stables of North Vancouver and Paul Sanders of Surrey.

Parked through a 30-second opening panel, Mayhem N Madness moved to the fore then cruised through middle splits of 1:00.1 and 1:29.4. He hit the stretch with a three-length lead and kicked home a safe 1-1/2-length winner with a :28.4 final frame. Bet He Rocks (Terry Kaufman) and Vegas Gangster (Mike Hennessy) followed in second and third, respectively.

Another son of Custard The Dragon, Mayhem N Madness (dam Mrs Bailey) is owned by Gray along with Derek Wilson of Heritage Pointe, Alta., and Jackson Wittup of Calgary, Alta. The colt, who was a $27,000 ASHA Yearling Sale purchase, was a winner in his second career start.

In the Emerald Filly divisions, undefeated Josies Joules ($4.70) was the fastest freshman stakes winner with a 1:56 triumph while Faith And Grace ($6) won at first asking in 1:57.2. Kelly drove both of his successful Emerald Filly starters.

Josies Joules dominated her division, looping to the lead early and carving out fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.3 before drawing off in :28.2 final quarter sprint. Her winning margin was 3-1/4 lengths. B A Dragon, trained and driven by Gray, closed well for second to overtake pocket-pursuer Just Mybuckin Luck (Hennessy).

Josies Joules is perfect in two starts for Kelly and Calgary, Alta. based co-owners Randy Smith and Don McDougall. The daughter of Shadow Play and Village Joules was a $4,167 bargain buy as a yearling from the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale.

After tracking in third through opening panels in :28.1 and :59, Faith And Grace took on the pacesetting Blue Star Strike (Hennessy) at the 1:27.2 third quarter mark and defeated that filly by 1-1/4 lengths, with pocket-sitter Mystery Shooter (James Jungquist) third up the passing lane.

Kelly shares ownership of the debuting Captain Deo-Racy Gracie filly, who was an $11,000 yearling acquisition from the ASHA Sale, with Josh MacDonald of Little Pond, P.E.I.

In regular racing action, Stash The Cookies ($6.50) was a 1:52.3 wire-to-wire winner in the $16,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap Pace, capping off a mid-week driving grand slam for Brandon Campbell. Trained by John Chappell and owned by Derek Gilbert of Brandon, Man., the Century Downs distaff track record holder notched her 45th career win and went over $450,000 in earnings. Grey Sea (Kelly Hoerdt) edged out favoured Outlawguns N Roses (Mike Hennessy) to place three lengths behind the winning nine-year-old Sunfire Blue Chip-Saucy B mare.

To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Century Downs.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Josies Joules winning on July 30)