Stalking a duel for the lead, Cheedar Jack pounced on his competition heading to three-quarters and jolted to a six-and-a-quarter length victory in the $125,000 Western Canada Pacing Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday, Oct. 13.
From post one, driver Mike Hennessy placed Cheddar Jack third as Marlons Magic, from post two, circled to the lead and Peace Out Posse left from the center. Marlons Magic parked Peace Out Posse through a :26.4 opening quarter and :55 half as the backfield prepared for a blitz in the backstretch.
Cheddar Jack took the lead as Marlons Magic dropped out of the contention moving to three-quarters. Its A Great White kicked three wide from second over with Custards Laststand wider in pursuit of new-leader Cheddar Jack past the 1:25 third-quarter. Cheddar Jack turned away his competition into the stretch and opened a length-and-a-half lead as Custards Laststand overtook Its A Great White through the stretch for second. Mortgage My Villa rallied for fourth.
Trained by Rod Hennessy for owners Lorne Duffield and Diane Hennessy, Cheddar Jack won his ninth race from 19 starts this season and his 11th from 27 overall, earning $188,900. The three-year-old gelding by Betterthancheddar paid $3.20 to win.
Mike Hennessy swept the Saturday stakes action with Cusdmagicdragon closing from second over to take the $125,000 Don Byrne Memorial in 1:55.4 as the odds-on choice.
Cusdmagicdragon sat third while Born A Dragon paced to the quarter in :28.4. Blue Grotto, parked from fourth, advanced uncovered past the stands and brushed to the top heading to a :57.1 half.
You Talk Too Much, shuffled to third, pulled first over heading towards the backstretch with Cusdmagicdragon following suit. Blue Grotto continued on the lead by three-quarters in 1:25.4 and into the stretch before giving way to You Talk Too Much nearing the wire. Cusdmagicdragon vaulted off cover and rushed for the new leader nearing the line while being chased by Bearcat Josi. The Kelly Hoerdt-trained filly by Custard The Dragon held off Bearcat Josi by a neck at the line with You Talk Too Much close in third and Lively Rocket, off a rail trip, taking fourth.
Owned by Hoerdt along with partners Blair & Erna Corbeil, Cusdmagicdragon won her sixth race from 13 starts this season and her seventh from 21 overall, earning $169,637. She paid $3.80 to win.
Hoerdt conditioned two other winners on the card for a Saturday hat-trick. He drove Jet Juice ($6.40) to a nine-and-a-quarter length victory in a $4,300 conditioned pace, timed in 1:57, and Iwontdothatagain ($3.70) from second over to a length-victory in 1:55 to take a $7,700 conditioned claiming pace.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northlands Park.