The duo of driver Mike and trainer Rod Hennessy captured plenty of Preferred pacing events at Century Downs in 2023 thanks to Horse of the Year Shark Week. With that star still to find a place to race this meet, Team Hennessy remains a threat in the track's top classes.
Century Downs carded a pair of Preferred events during a snowy Saturday session on March 23. Rod & Mike found their way to the track photographer after each, with the trainer connecting for three wins on the day and the driver finding the wire first four times for the second straight week.
Goodbye Ceia Later posted a 10-1 upset in the $12,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace for her first win of the year.
Mike Hennessy settled the five-year-old mare away in fourth — and second from last — in the field of five as last week's Preferred winner and post-time favourite If Only Id Known and driver David Kelly powered through early fractions of :29.3 and 1:00.2 over the track listed as 'good' with a two-second variant applied.
Second choice Outlaw Allie Oops and driver Brandon Campbell made a bold brush heading into the backside, sprinting from fifth to engage the pacesetter and eventually get past the favourite as the field cleared the third quarter in a time of 1:28.3. That backside throwdown between the two public choices would take its toll, however, with Hennessy timing his move into second-over position through the far turn.
Once the field turned for home, Goodbye Ceia Later lived up to her her name and said just that to her rivals to get up for the 1:58 win. Outlaw Allie Oops was three-quarters of a length back in second with If Only Id Known rounding out the top three.
Rod Hennessy trains Goodbye Ceia Later (Vertical Horizon - Ba Bye Ceia Later) for breeders and owners Bryan Brook of Leduc and Diane Hennessy of Strathmore, Alta. The mare picked up her 12th career win in her 70th start, lifting her career earnings to $107,287 in the process. She paid $23.20 to win as a 10-1 upsetter.
The next dash featured a half dozen male pacers in a $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace. Team Hennessy was favoured on this occasion with Wine Thirty, and though the time of day was just past 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time when all was said and done it was certainly Wine Thirty in the winner's circle.
Outlaw Gunsablazin (David Kelly) had the lights on the horn blowing from the innermost starting spot, sprinting out to the lead while looking for a gate-to-wire score. A :29.1 first quarter slowed to a :30.4 second split to hit the half in 60 seconds. Carro B Bunsen (Rod Gillis) advanced first up, providing Wine Thirty with some cover second over.
After the third station was reached in 1:27.4, Wine Thirty was right-lined into a three-wide attack around the far turn and the pacer showed plenty of power was still in reserve. Wine Thirty squeezed out a :28.4 final split to trip the timer in 1:57. Carro B Bunsen and Outlaw Gunsablazin rounded out the top trio.
Lorne Duffield is the breeder-owner of five-year-old Wine Thirty, with the son of Vertical Horizon - Marilyn Merlot now a 13-time winner in his career with more than $96,000 in the bank. He returned $3.50 for a $2 win wager.
For the results from the Saturday card of harness racing at Century Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)