Sharkalucchi edged out Watch And Pray in a photo finish to pull off the 18-1 upset and provide driver Gerry Hudon with his first victory in the $75,000 Western Canada Pacing Derby for three-year-old colts on Saturday night at Northlands Park.
One of three Keith Clark trainees in the field of eight, Sharkalucchi showed early gate speed from post four, but Watch And Pray (J.F. Gagne) crossed over in front after leaving just to his outside.
Watch And Pray led the field through fractions of :28.3, :59.3 and 1:29.1 with No Fear (Brandon Campbell) advancing first over from fourth, followed by elimination winner Cowboy Caper (Kelly Hoerdt) and Somethinsgoinon (Keith Clark), who fired three-wide down the backside.
But as the colts rounded the final turn, Hudon pulled his charge from the pocket and set his sights on chasing down the pacesetter in the stretch. Closing quickly on the outside, Sharkalucchi got by in the final strides to nab the victory over Watch And Pray in 1:58.1 over the frozen track. Sharkalucchi's other stablemate, elimination winner Playbook (Bobby Clark), was a hard-closing third.