The betting public was bang on with the amount of support it put on First Class Horse in Sunday’s $20,000 ASHA Colt Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Century Downs.
The colt, who was sent off as the 1-9 favourite, blew away the competition by five lengths in a sharp clocking of 1:55.2 for trainer/driver Keith Clark.
Clark hustled First Class Horse to the lead from Post 4 and the son of Western Terror-Susurrus Hanover successfully whacked out panels of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:26.3 before using a :28.4 kicker to win in going away fashion. Mysharona Bluechip rallied for the runner-up award, while Cool Cowboy took home the show dough.
Alberta partners Robert Jones of Slave Lake and Doris McDougall of Cochrane watched the sophomore improve his 2015 record to 9-1-1 from 12 starts with the victory. The 14-time winner bumped his lifetime earnings to $158,495 in the process.
Sunday’s card also featured the $12,500 Open Pace, with Get Thereovernight rallying for a last-to-first score for the tandem of driver Bill Tainsh, Jr. and trainer Kelly Hoerdt.
Ghost Pine shot to the top and sliced out splits of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.1 before coming under fierce pressure from a number of challengers. Stablemate Get Thereovernight was hustled up three wide from fifth and his :28-second closing kick helped earn him the one-length triumph over Ghost Pine in 1:54. Race favourite Who Doesnt finished third.
Peter Giannakopoulos, Kelly Hoerdt and Blair Corbeil own the four-year-old son of Clintons Cigar-Express Overnight who lit the lamp for the sixth time this season. The 10-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings over $100,000 with the victory.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Century Downs.