A diverse range of talent came to the fore in the eliminations for the Western Canada Pacing Derby and Century Casinos Filly Pace on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Century Mile, with a streaking filly stepping up to elite company, two invaders and an established local stakes horse taking the divisions.
After seven straight wins in overnight competition, Lucky Girl Hill rose to the challenge of stakes foes, posting an 8-1 upset in the second $12,500 elimination of the Century Casinos Filly Pace for sophomore female pacers. Phil Giesbrecht placed the filly fifth while Jody Jamieson hustled Ontario-based Easy Station to the lead past a :28 opening panel, and Lucky Girl Hill remained at the cones past the half in :56.3 until pulling uncovered into the last turn. She went the long way to eliminate the five-length lead the 1-9 favourite held at three-quarters in 1:25.3, advancing in the breeze around the bend and edging by Easy Station in late stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:54. Blue Star Strike (Drew Campbell) finished third, followed by Alexia (Mike Hennessy). Y V Four Roses (Logan Gillis) completed the top five.
Lucky Girl Hill is 10-for-12 since debuting in July for earnings of $43,500. The Gerry Hudon-trained daughter of Captain Crunch-Sarandon Blue Chip was acquired in June by Monica Hudon of Sturgeon County, Alta., Giesbrecht of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. and Denise Andrew of Calgary, Alta. She paid $19.20 to win.
Tilthecowscomehome, part of a duo of winning Ontario invaders for trainer Kyle Fellows, announced his presence in the province with a 3-1/4-length romp in the second $12,500 Western Canada Pacing Derby elimination for three-year-old pacing males. The Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final runner-up grabbed control into the first turn, then gave way briefly to Alberta champion Boleto A Mexico (Jamie Gray) before launching back to command after reaching the quarter in :27.2. Tilthecowscomehome, with usual driver Jody Jamieson at the lines, cruised to the half in :56.4, then accelerated off three-quarters in 1:25 to pull clear of attacking Rockin Buddy (Mike Hennessy) down the stretch for a 1:53.1 victory. Libra Mundi (Brandon Campbell) was third, followed by Boleto A Mexico and Y V Weller (Drew Campbell).
Tilthecowscomehome has won four of 12 starts this year with five place finishes and is now six-for-24 lifetime with $497,894 in earnings. The son of Cattlewash-Dance Until Dawn, an Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final show finisher at two, is owned by Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, Ont. — who trained him in all previous starts — Jody Jamieson of Guelph, Ont., Joanne Morrison of Beeton, Ont. and Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta. The win price was $2.60.
A Clean Deal also came through for Fellows and Jamieson with a gritty victory in the first Century Casinos Filly Pace elim. She left from the outside post six and dropped in behind Instafamous (Brandon Campbell), who towed her through the first turn before sprinting to the lead in a :28.1 first split. A Clean Deal patiently progressed to the front from there, reaching the midway point on top in :56.4, but was forced to roll as Lets Go Gals (Blake Piwniuk) pushed first-over and eclipsed the leader approaching three-quarters in 1:26.4. A Clean Deal ignited off the turn and repelled the challenger, then sailed home to prevail by three-quarters of a length over pylon-shooting Instafamous in 1:54.3. Lets Go Gals finished third, with Pup (Jamie Gray) fourth and Terrible Custard (Mike Hennessy) fifth.
A Clean Deal, who last started in her Breeders Crown final, took her sixth win of the year from 14 starts on Saturday. The 2025 O’Brien Award winner is now 12-for-21 lifetime with $851,752 in earnings for owners Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont., Corbeil, Windermere Stable LLC of New York, N.Y. and James Ross of Wingham, Ont. The daughter of Cattlewash-Ideal Talker paid $2.10 to win.
In the first Western Canada Pacing Derby elimination, Vladdy G remained third for Logan Gillis through panels of :28.4, :57.3 and 1:25.4 before peeling out at the bottom of the last turn. The son of Captive Audience-Alina dashed to the lead through the stretch and resisted the rush of Vegas Gangster (Mike Hennessy) by a quarter-length for the 1:54.4 victory. Ruler Of Dragons (Phil Giesbrecht) finished third, with Outlaw Country On (Drew Campbell) fourth and Outrun The Odds (Nathan Sobey) fifth.
Gillis trains Vladdy G, winner of the Ralph Klein Memorial and Alberta Sires Stakes Marksman this season, and co-owns him with Todd Teolis of St. Albert, Alta. The win was the gelding’s fifth this year in 14 starts, raising his career card to five-for-22 and his earnings to $151,685. He paid $8.10 to win.
The finals of the Century Casinos Filly Pace and Western Canada Pacing Derby, worth $108,630 and $100,000 respectively, are set for Saturday, Nov. 21 at Century Mile.
Shark Week delivered a devastating bounce-back mile in the $15,000 Preferred Handicap Pace, winning by 10-1/4 lengths to avenge the ending of his five-race win streak two weeks ago. Western Canada’s fastest horse swiftly assumed command for Mike Hennessy and rattled off early panels of :26.2 and :53.3 before departing from the field. He racked up an eight-length cushion by three-quarters in 1:21.2 and extended further down the lane while completing the mile in 1:50.1, a fifth of a second off his own all-age track record. Telluride Hanover (Terry Kaufman) prevailed in the race for place over One Major Hottie (Phil Giesbrecht).
Shark Week reached the 75-win mark in Saturday’s score, his 10th of the year from 25 starts. The gelding has set the overall record at both Century Downs and Century Mile while earning $650,510 lifetime in 132 starts. Rod Hennessy trains the eight-year-old son of Vertical Horizon-Shark Gone Bad and co-owns him with Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta. The win price was $3.10.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Mile.
(Standardbred Canada)