Four $90,000 Super Finals closed out the 2025 Alberta Sires Stakes (ABSS) season on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Century Mile.
Brandon Campbell gave 44-1 longshot Imashipwreck a perfect pocket trip to land the upset in the final for three-year-old fillies, one of two Super Final wins for the reinsman. The filly, starting from the inside, strung out favourite Custard Dolce (Phil Giesbrecht) heading into the first turn, with that rival securing the front before the quarter in :27. Down the backstretch, Mademechangemymind (Mike Hennessey) slid off the cones and marched through the half in :55.1, applying pressure to Custard Dolce to three-quarters in 1:24 before backing out of it at the bottom of the last turn. Imashipwreck angled to the outside as they straightened for the drive, and she overhauled Custard Dolce en route to a two-length victory in 1:53.2. Blowing Inthewind (James Jungquist) made a dash for second, getting home ahead of the closing Chics Dragon Flies (Dave Kelly).
Imashipwreck earned her first career stakes victory with a lifetime-best effort for trainer Jacques Lambert of Red Deer, Alta., who co-owns with Jim Wilson of Regina, Sask. The daughter of Captain Deo-Rollin Deep is now five-for-29 lifetime and has earned $148,211. Her backers received a $90.80 return.
Campbell also captured the Super Final for rookie colts and geldings, brushing to victory in a 7-1 upset with his own Libra Mundi. Libra Mundi took a four-hole ride past the quarter in :26.4 until Campbell right-lined him on the backstretch, sending him past Ruler Of Dragons (Austin Sorrie), who was slowing the tempo to a :56.3 half. Libra Mundi reached the lead at the midway point and headed the field to three-quarters in 1:25, with only Ruler Of Dragons in his rearview mirror. That rival gave chase home but was only able to reduce the gap to a length while Libra Mundi glided to the line for a 1:54.4 victory, a new lifetime mark. Ruler Of Dragons took the place cheque, with Mayhem N Madness (Giesbrecht) third.
Libra Mundi improved to four-for-nine in his rookie year for Campbell, who trains the gelding and shares ownership with Raymond Henry and George Rogers of Calgary, Alta. The son of Custard The Dragon-Mater Deo has earned $75,627. He paid $16.40 to win.
Favourite B A Dragon got home from a garden trip in the final for two-year-old fillies, rewarding driver Austin Sorrie for making the westward trip from Ontario. Sorrie tucked the filly behind early leader Blue Star Strike (Campbell), who dictated terms unchallenged through :28.3, :56.4 and 1:26.3 fractions. B A Dragon then slid out in the stretch, kicked home in :28.2 and drew past Blue Star Strike by 2-3/4 lengths to prevail in 1:55.1. Y V Four Roses (Kelly Hoerdt) emerged from a three-horse place photo with second money. Blue Star Strike held third.
B A Dragon completed an undefeated ABSS season after winning all three preliminary legs. She now has five wins and three seconds in eight starts and $93,841 in earnings. Jamie Gray of Sturgeon County, Alta. conditions the daughter of Custard The Dragon-Saucy B and owns in partnership with J J J Stables of North Vancouver, B.C., and Paul Sanders of Surrey, B.C. The win price was $3.50.
Westcoast Mccoy provided fireworks in the finale with a last-to-first rally in the sophomore colt and gelding Super Final. The colt started nearly two lengths off the gate and dropped in behind second-tier starter Momas Work Of Art (Kelly) to trail the field as a battle at the front produced :27.4 and :55.4 early fractions. Giesbrecht brought Westcoast Mccoy out into the flow heading into the last turn, moving up to seventh at three-quarters in 1:25.1, and fanned him out at the top of the lane. Still 10-1/2 lengths back with an eighth of a mile to go, Westcoast Mccoy exploded in late stretch and flew past horses, and he nailed Momas Work Of Art by a neck to win in 1:54.3. Ima Rum Runner (Nathan Sobey) finished well for third after a ground-saving trip.
The victory was Westcoast Mccoy's fifth in 17 starts and the Captive Audience-Alley Scat colt’s bankroll now stands at $104,946. He is trained by John Chappell for owners Ross Sharp of Campbell River, B.C., and Andrea Chappell of Olds, Alta. He returned $15.80 at the windows.
Century Mile also held four $15,000 ABSS consolations on the 13-race card, which was rescheduled from last Saturday. The two-year-old winners were filly Lets Go Gals ($4.30) in 1:58 for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt and colt Boleto A Mexico ($4.10) in 1:57.2 for the team of Sorrie and Gray. The winners of the three-year-old contests were filly Tornado Rain ($2.20) in 1:57.2 for driver Gray and trainer Donna Sarin and gelding Dont Shoot Luke ($11.20) in 1:55.4, with Sorrie in the sulky for Rebecca Kanak.
Mercedes captured the day’s $16,000 Preferred Pace, adding another highlight to a training triple for Campbell. The 1-9 choice was overtaken by two foes on the first turn and sat third through the quarter in :26.4, then started to roll at the half in :54.3 and headed Sunshine Boy (Giesbrecht) at three-quarters in 1:23. He took a clear lead coming off the turn, then had to withstand relentless pursuit from Midnight Mover (Jungquist) to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.1. Needabankloan (Kelly) was third.
Campbell drove the All Bets Off-Skade stallion to victory for Henry. The five-year-old rung up his 20th lifetime win in 41 outings while raising his earnings to $142,496. He has now scored in three of his past four starts, all at the Preferred level. His win price was $2.20.
The other winner from the Campbell barn was Captive Mind ($3.90), who cut the mile in the opener in a 1:57 victory. Campbell’s trainees are winning at a 20.6 per cent rate this season with 64 total victories and he is now tied for second in the standings at Century Mile on 20 tallies, three wins back of leader Travis Ellis.
At the conclusion of the night following Giesbrecht's Super Final victory with Westcoast Mccoy, the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association made a special presentation in the winner's circle congratulating the reinsman for surpassing 1,500 career wins, a mark he hit the night prior driving Avas Angel Baby.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Mile.
(Standardbred Canada; photos clockwise from top left of Libra Mundi, Imashipwreck, B A Dragon and Westcoast Mccoy)
Custard Dolce and Shark Week
The bridge jumpers took a beating last night when heavy favorite Custard Dolce finished out of the money in the 9th race. The top 3 finishers in the race paid $48.40, $43.20, and $22.00 to show! Also, Shark Week won last night's 4th race, but it wasn't a Preferred. Very uncharacteristically, he finished out of the money in 3 straight races, so last night he was entered in a mid-level conditioned race, which he easily won at odds of 1-9. When was the last time that Shark Week raced against nonwinners??!!