After an eight-race rookie season with just one victory, Terrible Custard has seemingly found her form at three.

Granted, a two-race win streak isn't all that uncommon but when that win total doubles the output from a year ago and the most recent win is an impressive as her performance on Saturday, July 11 at Century Downs, there is certainly reason for optimism.

Competing in one of two $15,000 Alberta Diamond eliminations, Terrible Custard settled into third early for driver Mike Hennessy as Y V Four Roses (Dave Kelly) landed on top early. Hennessy has the 2-5 choice on the move through the opening turn and she cleared through a :27.3 opening panel. Her leading margin was never less than three lengths after that as Terrible Custard rambled through middle panels of :56 and 1:24.4 before pacing home in :29.1 to trounce her foes by 6-1/2 lengths while earning a sharp 1:54 speed badge. Y V Four Roses finished second with HF Running On MT (Brandon Campbell) best of the best in third.

Rod Hennessy trains Terrible Custard (Custard The Dragon-Remember Terror) is owned by her breeder, Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta. She's now a three-time winner with $44,564 in earnings and looks to be the favourite heading into next week's Alberta Diamond final.

Her win time was slower but her win margin was bigger. Arguably, Blue Star Strike was just as impressive in her Alberta Diamond elim. Drew Campbell sent the daughter of Captive Audience-Lucky Lucka to the front from post seven and she delivered on her 2-5 odds. After fractions of :26.4, :56.4 and 1:26, Blue Star Strike sauntered home in :29.3 for the lifetime best 1:55.3 score. B A Dragon (Phil Giesbrecht) finished just over seven lengths back in second, ahead of Its Five Somewhere (Brandon Campbell).

Mathew Howlett trains Blue Star Strike, a five-time winner with $89,172 in earnings, for owner Donald Howlett of West St. Paul, Man. She returned $2.90 to win.

Saturday's card also featured two $15,000 Alberta Marksman eliminations, with Outlaw Country On and Ruler Of Dragons winning their respective splits.

Outlaw Country On wrangled his foes with ease in the first elim, going wire-to-wire for driver Drew Campbell in 1:55.2. After cutting the corner to clear from post three, Outlaw Country On kicked it into high gear through fractions of :29, :58.1 and 1:26.2 before closing in :29 for the 1:55.2 decision two lengths better than sluggers Vladdy G (Logan Gillis) and Mr Jeter (Kelly Hoerdt).

A son of Captive Audience-Cams Jam, Outlaw Country On is owned by trainer Rod Starkewski of Lamont, Alta. along with Clauzette Byckal of Onoway, Alta. Now a four-time winner with $33,110 in earnings, Outlaw Country On paid $6 to win.

Post nine proved no problem for Ruler Of Dragons ($5.50) in the second Marksman elim. Phil Giesbrecht asked Ruler Of Dragons to follow favoured The Great Shark (Mike Hennessy) away from the inside, settling into fourth as The Great Shark posted opening quarters of :28 and :56.3. Giesbrecht found some cover in the form of stablemate Boleto A Mexico (Jamie Gray) down the backside, but found himself uncovered as Boleto A Mexico cleared to the top at the 1:24.4 third station. Rule Of Dragons kept the pressure on his stablemate and finally forged past in deep stretch for the 1-1/2 length score. Boleto A Mexico was next best, with V Y Weller (Dave Kelly) completing the top trio.

Ruler Of Dragons (Custard The Dragon-Lady Neigh Neigh) is owned by J J J Stables of North Vancouver, B.C., Paul Sanders of Surrey, B.C. and trainer Jamie Gray of Sturgeon County, Alta. In 11 starts, he's yet to miss the board (7-3-1) and boasts a healthy $179,300 bankroll.

After appearing to be fronted by Shark Week in the stretch, favoured Mercedes ($3.60) battled back for trainer-driver Brandon Campbell to prevail in the $16,000 Preferred Pace. Sitting second behind Outlaw Game On through early fractions of :28.1 and :56, Campbell hit the accelerator on Mercedes down the backside and the 4-5 shot obliged to clear the early leader through a 1:24.1 third quarter. But waiting in the water was Shark Week, immediately applying pressure for driver Mike Hennessy. Gaining around the far turn, Shark Week fronted Mercedes briefly in the stretch, but the favourite found another gear and fought back for the 1:52.2 victory. Shark Week finished second by half a length, with Midnight Mover (Drew Campbell) in for third.

Raymond Henry of Calgary, Alta. owns Mercedes, a six-year-old son of All Bets Off-Skade with 29 victories and $221,116 in earnings.

For the full results from the card of harness racing outside Calgary on Saturday, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)