Making the leap from three to four isn't always easy, even for horses that capture Horse of the Year honours as three-year-olds.
The 2024 Horse of the Year in Alberta, Outlawguns N Roses hasn't been as dominant as she was during her 11-win sophomore season. But the daughter of Captive Audience - Gunslingin Gal has raced admirably in her first season of open competition with 11 top-three finishes (4-5-2) in 19 appearances for trainer / co-owner Rod Starkewski of Lamont, Alta. and Clauzette Byckal of Onoway heading into Friday.
Make that 12 top-three finishes after her upset score in the $16,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred on Friday, Nov. 7 at Century Mile.
The public placed the bulk of their support behind 4/5 choice Stash The Cookies in Friday's top class tilt, and driver Kelly Hoerdt played catch-me-if-you-can with the accomplished mare against her seven rivals. Arrhythmic Dream (Brandon Campbell) sat the pocket ahead of Outlawguns N Roses and driver Nathan Sobey as Stash The Cookies chopped out fractions of :28 and :56 before Arrhythmic Dream vacated the rail to challenge the tempo-setter through a 1:25 third quarter. Sobey slid Outlawguns N Roses up a spot, and after the first-over bid of Arrhythmic Dream started to fade, Outlawguns N Roses had daylight for a stretch rally. Sobey angled his charge into the two path, and she responded with just enough late kick to best Stash The Cookies by about half a length and win in 1:53.3. Roulette Hanover (David Kelly) rallied for third.
Outlawguns N Roses now sports 20 career victories with a 20-9-2 summary from 42 starts and earnings of $445,920. She returned $22 to win.
Sobey swept the Preferred paces on Friday, delivering as the even money choice with Outlaw Sharktastic ($4) in the $11,000 Preferred 2 Handicap.
After Sandras Mystery (Campbell) fronted the field early with Outlaw Sharktastic in the pocket, Sobey chose front-end control by looping to the lead and then making every call a winning one from there. After fractions of :29.1, :57.3 and 1:26.1, Outlaw Sharktastic paced home confidently in :28.1 for the 1:54.2 score. Sandras Mystery stayed for second, three lengths in arrears, with Red N Ready (Jacques Lambert) in the show spot.
A seven-year-old daughter of Smart Shark - Outlaw Alleyesonme, Outlaw Sharktastic is trained and co-owned by Sobey along with Glenda Winkleman of Edmonton and Glenn Pinel of Calgary, Alta. Making her first start after a three-month layoff, Outlaw Sharktastic picked up her 18th career victory and lifted her career earnings to $232,048.
To view the complete results from Friday's card of harness racing outside of Edmonton, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Mile.
(Standardbred Canada)