Trainer-driver Dave Kelly made some waves in the first of two $9,000 eliminations for the Western Canada Pacing Derby when his Sunshine Beach gelding Make Some Waves lighted the tote board in toppling Alberta sensation Major Custard on Sunday (Nov. 22) at Century Mile.
Off the 1-9 favourite, Major Custard took control to a :28 opening quarter while Chazmichaelmichael secured the pocket. Kelly landed Make Some Waves in sixth and stayed put through a :58.2 half, where Fully Covered angled first over from fourth and approached Major Custard coming to three-quarters in 1:27.4.
Into the final turn, Kelly slid Make Some Waves off the rail and fed him racetrack for the straightaway. Through the long stretch Major Custard grew tired while Make Some Waves motored down the center of the course to snag the lead and stroll to a length victory in 1:55.2. Chazmichaelmichael popped pocket to finish second while Major Custard held third.
Returning $161.80 to win, Make Some Waves won his fifth race from 13 starts this season, earning $18,212. Kathleen and Clifford Coonfer bred and own the winner.
West Coast Beach bolted off a pocket trip to win the second elimination of the Western Canada Pacing Derby. Trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt secured the cat-bird ride following a :27.4 opening quarter when Outlaw C My Shadow circled to the front. Horse mounted a first-over challenge after the new leader Oultaw C My Shadow to a :57.1 half and remained at the leader’s side to three-quarters in 1:25.1. But Horse began to tire off the turn, opening a slot for West Coast Beach to vault from the pocket and to the front while chased to the finish by stablemate Criminal Record, who finished second in the 1:54 mile by one-and-three-quarter lengths. Strateontilmorning took third.
Co-owned by Hoerdt with Chris Lancaster and Derek Gilbert, West Coast Beach won his fifth race from 15 starts this season and his eighth from 21 overall, earning $111,403. The Sunshine Beach gelding paid $3.90 to win.
Trainer Chris Lancaster swept the two eliminations of the Don Byrne Memorial. He first sent Custards Crown to a 1:55.2 off-the-pace victory in rein to driver Phil Giesbrecht.
Century Gianna grabbed the lead to a :27.3 opening quarter but lost command into the backside when Rockin With Lou pulled pocket to take the lead. Rockin With Lou then led to a :57.4 half as Past Affair pulled first over and progressed towards the new leader nearing three-quarters in 1:26.1. Meanwhile Custards Crown grabbed cover to race fourth over into the final turn, and—once unleashed to the center of the track by Giesbrecht—stormed down the center of the course to go from near last to first. Past Affair settled for second, one length behind the winner, with Century Gianna finishing third.
A filly by Custard The Dragon, Custards Crown won her fifth race from 13 starts this season and her eighth from 20 overall, earning $52,500 for owners Christopher Lambie and Chris Lancaster. She paid $17.80 to win.
Probert powered to victory for Lancaster in the other elimination of the Don Byrne Memorial, crossing the beam in 1:54. Driver Kelly Hoerdt hustled the Dali filly to the point from post 7 and led uncontested through fractions of :28, :58 and 1:26.4. Through the stretch pocket-sitter Miss Itunes gave pursuit to the winner to finish second by a length. Treasure Horizon rallied for third another four lengths behind with L A Woman faltering to fourth.
Owned by Rod Therres, Probert won her seventh race from 12 starts this season and her 14th from 19 overall, earning $190,440. She paid $2.60 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Mile.
With Major Custard's defeat,
With Major Custard's defeat, the winningest undefeated horse in North America in 2020 is 2yo trotting filly Designer Specs, who visited the winner's circle 14 times this year. She was shut down last month. The second-winningest undefeated horse is Atlantic Canada's own Woodmere Stealdeal, who went 13 for 13.