Ruler Of Dragons was the king of the two-year-old colts and geldings in the $97,000 Century Casinos Pace on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Century Downs, winning impressively to maintain his perfect record.

Phil Giesbrecht pushed the gelding forward into the four-hole while longshot inside starters Derringers Promise (Dave Kelly) and Chasing Tigers (Jacques Lambert) contested the lead, with the former coming away with control in a :27.4 first quarter. The field went single file to the half in :57.2 before action kicked off on the backstretch as Vegas Gangster (Mike Hennessy) went  first-up from third and Ruler Of Dragons shifted out onto his cover.

Vegas Gangster swept to the front in short order, but Ruler Of Dragons hit top gear approaching three-quarters in 1:27 and sprinted to the lead. He then stormed down the lane with no further action needed from Giesbrecht and won going away by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:55.4. Vegas Gangster finished second, followed by Y V Weller (Nathan Sobey). The winner returned $2.70.

Ruler Of Dragons is perfect through three starts and has earned $64,150. With his prior victory in the first Norm Kennedy Memorial division on July 30, he has wins in both major Alberta stakes for two-year-old males so far this year. Jamie Gray trains the son of Custard The Dragon-Lady Neigh Neigh and shares ownership with JJJ Stables of North Vancouver, B.C. and Paul Sanders of Surrey, B.C.

Blue Star Aspire braved a first-over advance to win the twin stake, the $97,000 ASHA Filly Pace for rookie pacing fillies. Brandon Campbell planted her in third while Lets Go Gals (Kelly Hoerdt) pushed to the lead in a first panel of :28.1. Y V Four Roses (Giesbrecht) pocket-popped to take over passing the stands and led to the half in :58.1.

Campbell right-lined Blue Star Aspire down the backside, and the filly encroached on the leader through three-quarters in 1:27. She edged clear on the last turn and rolled away down the stretch to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Y V Four Roses veered in and broke stride nearing the wire, causing interference to multiple opponents. Faith And Grace (Kelly) avoided the mayhem and went ahead to finish second, followed by Lets Go Gals.

Blue Star Aspire is now two-for-three with back-to-back wins after her sixth-place finish on debut in the Emerald Filly Pace. The Captain Deo-Telegraph Hanover filly is trained by Chris Langaster for Rod Therres of Langley, B.C. and KFC Farms Ltd. of Abbotsford, B.C. The win price was $4.

Grey Sea captured the $16,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace. She sat fourth for Hoerdt through the first five-eighths of a mile, came out on the final turn and caught cover from Outlawguns N Roses (Kelly), then flew home from fourth in the stretch to prevail in 1:53 by two lengths over Byby Baby Byby (Hennessy). Outlawguns N Roses was third.

Grey Sea earned her fifth win of the season in 20 tries for trainer Gordon Abbott and owner Seaspray Stables Ltd. of Nanaimo, B.C. The six-year-old daughter of Custard The Dragon-Preference is now 28-for-80 lifetime and has earned $253,970. She returned $10.

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

(Standardbred Canada)