Century Downs will host the finals of the Grade 3 Ralph Klein Memorial and Gord & Illa Rumpel Memorial stakes during its Mid-Summer Classic card on Saturday, Aug. 8 featuring Alberta's top three-year-olds racing for more than $186,000 in purses.

“The Mid-Summer Classic showcases the very best of Alberta harness racing," said Jocelyn Giesbrecht, Alberta Standardbred Horse Association’s Marketing and Special Events Coordinator. "It’s a weekend where talented horses, drivers, trainers and owners compete on one of our biggest stages, creating an exciting atmosphere for everyone at Century Downs. We invite fans to come out, cheer on the competitors and enjoy an unforgettable weekend of racing and entertainment.”

Century Downs' Assistant Racing Manager Josh Murphy added, "We are extremely excited for what is sure to be another thrilling edition of the Mid-Summer Classic this year. Both the Gord & Illa Rumpel Memorial and Ralph Klein Memorial are full of talent and will provide a great showcase of our racing product.”

In the $89,160 Rumpel Memorial for fillies, the two elimination winners, Pup and Terrible Custard, are the 9-5 and 2-1 morning line favourites from the inside two post positions. Jamie Gray trains and drives Pup, a Dali-Dog Soldier filly with a near-perfect, six-for-seven record in her debut racing season. The father and son, training and driving team of Rod and Mike Hennessy campaign the Custard The Dragon-Remember Terror filly Terrible Custard, who was an Alberta Sires Stakes winner at two and lowered her lifetime mark to 1:53.3 in the faster of the two Rumpel eliminations last weekend.

The Matthew Howlett-trained Blue Star Strike, last month's Alberta Sires Stakes Diamond winner driven by Drew Campbell, and Josies Joules, back in Alberta where she won an Emerald Filly Stakes division as a rookie for trainer/driver Dave Kelly, appear to be the two major dangers to the elimination favourites.

The $97,220 Klein Memorial features a competitive field of colts and geldings headlined by elimination winners Rockin Buddy and Vladdy G, who both seeming to be peaking at the right time and will also have the advantage of the inside two post positions. Vladdy G gets the nod as the 5-2 favourite off back-to-back 1:54.1 victories in the Alberta Sires Stakes Marksman final and the fastest Klein elimination. The Captive Audience-Alina gelding is trained and driven by Logan Gillis. Mike Hennessy will drive 3-1 second choice Rockin Buddy, a Shadow Play gelding out of 2019 Rumpel runner-up Rockin Mystery who has won five of his eight starts to date for trainer Rod Therres.

Another Alberta returnee for Kelly, Edwin Hanover looks primed for a big effort in his second start back from racing in Ontario but will have to overcame a trailing tier post nine start. Gray has a pair of top contenders in Boleto A Mexico and Ruler Of Dragons (to be driven by Phil Giesbrecht), who will be starting side-by-side from posts three and four, respectively. Both of Gray’s trainees have had success in stakes action before, and it would be no surprise to see Gray in the winner's circle on a big day. 

“We are looking forward to showcasing Alberta's best three-year-olds and wish everyone involved the very best of luck," added Murphy.

Ralph Klein began his political career as mayor of Calgary and would later become premier of Alberta from 1992 to 2006. Klein was a passionate supporter of harness racing as he frequently attended races at Northlands Park and participated in the annual “Premier’s Challenge for Charity.” Klein was also an owner in the Don Monkman Stable, further reflecting his love for the industry. In recognition of his contributions, the Ralph Klein Memorial Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings was established in 2017 and has been celebrated annually at Century Downs.

Gordon and Illa Rumpel were two of the most influential figures in Standardbred racing, owning two of the greatest horses in Canadian history: On The Road Again and Matts Scooter. On The Road Again won $2.8 million during his racing career while their second superstar, Matts Scooter, earned $2.9 million. Both horses were inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame with Matts Scooter also being inducted into the U.S. Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame.

Post time for Saturday's program is 12:45 p.m. (MDT), with the Gord & Illa Rumpel Memorial scheduled as race eight and the Ralph Klein Memorial capping off the 10-race card.

To view Saturday's complete harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Century Downs.

(Century Downs & Standardbred Canada; photo of Rockin Buddy winning an elimination of the Klein Memorial on Aug. 1)