Century Mile hosted a pair of $16,000 Western Canada Pacing Derby eliminations on Saturday, Oct. 11, with 15 sophomores battling for spots in the $110,000(est.) final
Discontinued took the first and fastest elimination, highlighting a big night for trainer-driver Brandon Campbell. The Custard The Dragon-Shark Fest colt out-sprinted three opponents to claim the early lead, sliding onto the pylons atop the field before the quarter in :28.3. Wheres Papi (Kelly Hoerdt) left the three-hole coming down the backstretch and rolled alongside Discontinued, who gave that foe the cold shoulder through the half in :58.1.
With Wheres Papi hung-out and stalled, Hands Off Harry (Mike Hennessy) tipped three-wide approaching three-quarters in 1:28.3 and closed on the pacesetter on the last turn. Discontinued edged away again coming down the stretch, but he couldn’t shake the dogged Hands Off Harry, who continued to gain ground. But the attacker was forced to straighten out in deep-stretch, and Discontinued held on by a half-length to prevail in 1:54.3. Momas Work Of Art (David Kelly) was third, followed by Catitude (Phil Giesbrecht) and Wheres Papi.
Discontinued came into the elimination off his victory in the Alberta Sires Stakes Plainsmen Final and improved to seven-for-13 this year after going winless in eight attempts as a rookie. He has earned $163,720 in 21 career outings. Campbell co-owns the colt with fellow Calgary, Alta. residents Raymond Henry and George Rogers. The win price was $8.70.
Wash N Wax sat behind an early speed battle, then vaulted to victory for trainer-driver Hoerdt off a pocket trip in the second elimination. He slotted in behind Telluride Hanover (Terry Kaufman), who took the lead going to a :27.4 quarter but was put under the gun by the parked-out G Ts Jukebox Jack (Hennessy). Those two went toe-to-toe to the half in :56.3 before G Ts Jukebox Jack dropped out of contention nearing the final turn.
Wash N Wax launched from the two-hole and blew by the weary leader in the lane, powering clear under urging in mid-stretch and coasting home to a 1:55 score. Outlawminutbyminut (Logan Gillis) rallied for second, closing the gap to three-quarters of a length. Summer Dancer (Phil Giesbrecht) closed for show over Ima Rum Runner (Nathan Sobey), with Picking Rocks (Kelly) fifth.
Wash N Wax took his first stakes victory and his ninth overall win in 24 career outings. The Cattlewash-Typhoon gelding started his career in New Jersey before being acquired by owners Hoerdt of Beaumont, Alta., Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., and Carole Dunbar of Richardson, Sask. Hoerdt trains the gelding, who has now earned $48,421.
The final of the Western Canada Pacing Derby is set for Saturday, Oct. 18.
Campbell capped off a training triple and took the fourth of five driving victories on the 12-race card with Mercedes ($3.10) in the $16,000 Preferred Pace. Mercedes enjoyed a garden trip through :27, :55.2, and 1:24.1 fractions, then out-kicked pacesetter Midnight Mover (James Jungquist) by 2-1/4 lengths to win in 1:51.3. Matteuse (Nathan Sobey) was third. The winning stallion, a son of All Bets Off-Skade, is 18-for-38 lifetime with $122,496 in earnings for Henry, who owns the five-year-old.
Campbell’s other training win came with One Hot Minute ($11.70), who rallied off a third-over trip to victory. He also piloted Rebecca Kanak-trained winners Cheyenne Creek ($2.80) and Lookinlikeamillion ($3.90). Campbell is 158-for-602 at the lines this season for a win rate of 26.2 per cent, and his trainees have won 56 of 264 starts, a 21.2 per cent clip.
Also on the undercard, Custard Dolce ($3.50) rolled to the front off a second-over trip to win the $10,000 Three-year-old Fillies Open Pace. Phil Giesbrecht had the filly away sixth through a :29.1 first quarter, shifted her onto cover onto the backstretch, and the filly followed Blowing Inthe Wind (Jungquist) forward through the half in :59.4. Custard Dolce pulled three-wide on the last turn, and she pushed to the lead at three-quarters in 1:28.3 and stormed home to a 3-1/4-length score in 1:55.2. Threecurtaincalls (Campbell) held second over Blowing Inthe Wind.
The win was Custard Dolce’s first start since Aug. 23, when she finished third in the Alberta Sires Stakes Princess Final. Jamie Gray trains and bred the filly and shares ownership with Jackson Wittup of Calgary, Max Gibb of Millarville, Alta., and Derek Wilson of Heritage Pointe, Alta. Custard Dolce, a daughter of Custard The Dragon-Blue Star West, is 15-for-19 lifetime and has earned $312,785.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Mile.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Discontinued winning on Oct. 11)