The streaking two-year-old pacer The Great Shark scared off the competition during Halloween night's stakes action at Century Mile.
With Kelly Hoerdt taking over the training and driving duties, The Great Shark kicked off the Friday, Oct. 31 freshman stakes with a 1:56.2 victory in the first $25,000 Rocky Mountain Boys division to extend his win streak to six.
The Great Shark led wire-to-wire, setting fractions of :29.1, :57 and 1:25.3 before opening up 2-1/4 lengths into a strong stretch wind that accounted for a two second variant. Pocket pursuer Vegas Gangster (Mike Hennessy) held on for second-place honours just ahead of the slightly favoured closer, Ruler Of Dragons (Phil Giesbrecht).
Coming off an Alberta Sires Stakes triple, The Great Shark paid $3.90 to win as the 4-5 second choice.
The Smart Shark-Great Desire gelding lifted his bankroll to $62,929 in his ninth career start for breeder Michelle Danroth of Lumby, B.C. and co-owner Brent Grundy of Edmonton, Alta.
Bet He Rocks carved out panels of :28.3, :57.1 and 1:27.4 before holding off rivals closing in on both sides in deep stretch to win the second Rocky Mountain Boys division in 1:57.4 with Phil Giesbrecht catch-driving for trainer Chris Lancaster. Runner-up Libra Mundi (Mike Hennessy) and third-place finisher Kissinger (Kelly Hoerdt) could only make it within three-quarters of a length of the winner at the wire.
Bet He Rocks returned $8.50 to his backers as the 3-1 third choice on the tote board.
The All Bets Off-Shes Just Rockin colt, who was a $66,000 ASHA Yearling Sale purchase, recorded his second win to go along with three other top three finishes in his first seven starts for British Columbia owners J J J Stables of North Vancouver and Paul Sanders of Surrey. The lion's share of the purse doubled his earnings, which now stand at $24,611.
Giesbrecht, Lancaster and J J J Stables teamed up for another stakes win in the first filly division of the Brad Gunn as 8-5 favourite Alexia reeled in 47-1 longshot leader Lets Go Gals (Kelly Hoerdt) in the homestretch and held off late-closers Kissing Backwards (James Jungquist) and Tempete (Mike Hennessy) by half a length for the maiden-breaking victory in 1:58.2.
Giesbrecht made the winning move with Alexia from mid-pack in fourth during the third panel to overhaul Lets Go Gals, who finished fourth after leading through three-quarters in :28.4, :58 and 1:27.2.
The daughter of Stag Party out of Alexas Princess, a $17,000 ASHA Yearling Sale graduate, made it to the winner's circle in her fifth career start, paying $5.20 to win.
Blue Star Strike struck in the second Brad Gunn division for driver David Kelly, ending the win streak of 1-2 favourite B A Dragon.
Leaving from the rail, Blue Star Strike cut the mile with fractions clocked in :28.3, :56.3 and 1:26.4 before giving her rivals the slip, widening by four lengths in the stretch and coasting across the wire a 1:57.3 winner. Rallying from behind excess cover, B A Dragon (Jamie Gray) cut into the winner's leading margin in the lane but had to settle for second, still 2-3/4 lengths behind with her streak snapped at four, while Terrible Custard (Mike Hennessy) took third prize.
Blue Star Strike, let go at 9-2 odds, returned $11.50 for the upset win while taking a new lifetime mark.
She now has two triumphs and four seconds in eight starts with earnings totalling $36,647 for trainer Mathew Howlett and his father, owner Don Howlett of West St. Paul, Man. The Captive Audience-Lucky Lucka filly was an $8,500 yearling acquisition from the ASHA sale.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Mile.
(Standardbred Canada)