Trainer/driver Ryan Grundy's Senga Nightmare picked up right where she left off in late January, upsetting Alberta's Preferred pacing mares as Friday night racing began at the new Century Downs meet on April 10.
Landing mid-pack from her trailing tier start in the $16,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace, Senga Nightmare benefitted from an early speed duel between the two inside leavers. Stash The Cookies (Mike Hennessy), Alberta's reigning Older Pacing Mare of the Year, forged ahead of pylon starter Baby Limbo (Blake Piwniuk) but found herself right back in the pocket as Baby Limbo looped to the lead when they passed the quarter in a sizzling :26.4 clocking.
After middle splits of :55.2 and 1:24.4 with first-over Outlawguns N Roses (James Jungquist) parked from the start and tiring, Stash The Cookies went for the lead again around the final turn and took over command in the stretch, but Senga Nightmare emerged off her ground-saving trip full of late pace and reached up to steal the glory in 1:55.3. Stash The Cookies finished three-quarters of a length back in second with Poker Queen (Phil Giesbrecht) closing outside for third. Outlaw Sharktastic (Nathan Sobey) edged out Baby Limbo for fourth.
Back in action after closing the Century Mile meet with an 11-1 upset in the Preferred class, Senga Nightmare was overlooked at odds of 21-1 and returned a whopping $44.70 to her backers at the betting windows.
A winner of a dozen races last year, the Vertical Horizon-Nells Sweet Future mare now has three wins in the first five starts of her eight-year-old campaign, bringing her career count to 42 with nearly $310,000 in purse earnings.
The action at Century Downs continues on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. MDT.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)