Sophomores sired by Custard The Dragon emerged victorious from the two $20,000 divisions of the Moore's Mile Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies at Century Downs on Saturday (May 12).
Custard Lite broke a seasonal skid with authority in the first Moore's Mile division. After going winless in six starts as a sophomore in B.C., Custard Lite showed a fondness for the Alberta air with a convincing victory.
Settled into fourth early for driver Paul Davies, Custard Lite looked on as favoured Blue Grotto (Kelly Hoerdt) carved out the early fractions of :29 and :57.3. With no movement from the field of six heading into the backstretch, Davies moved Custard Lite from fourth and confidently strode up to look the leader in the eye (bridle permitting) as the third panel flashed up in 1:26.4. About five strides after that marker, Custard Lite was clear and pulling away from the early pacesetter with some five lengths on the field turning for home. Davies kept his filly to task and tripped the timer in 1:56.3 -- a new lifetime mark by nearly three full seconds. Annies Delight (J.F. Gagne) closed well for second, with longshot Maid In Alberta (Tyler Redwood) nosing out Savemedasportspage (Dave Kelly) for third.
Trained by Gord Abbott, Custard Lite (Custard The Dragon - Enlightened One) is owned by Lorne Duffield of Edmonton and Rod Hennessy of Falun, Alberta. While just a winner in two of 17 lifetime starts, Custard Lite sports a solid 2-7-2 summary with earnings of $60,388.
Hoerdt delivered for the pari-mutuel players in the second division as favoured Cusdmagicdragon took flight in the stretch for her third straight score.
Leaving from the outer post five in the field of six, Cusdmagicdragon was settled into fifth for the early action as No Mo Fo Joe (Nathan Sobey) had front-end aspirations and made the early calls through a :28.1 first panel and :57.4 half. Hoerdt had attempted to flush cover before the backstretch but no one in front of him took the bait so he was forced to forge first-up until Bearcat Josi (Jamie Grey) slipped out from third to provide the favourite cover heading to the third station. As the third fraction flashed up in 1:26.2, Bearcat Josi was inching closer to the pacesetter and was close to even turning for home. Hoerdt then tipped into the three path off that cover and confidently closed to capture the victory, one length the best in a lifetime-best equalling 1:55.2 (in fact, the same time of each mile in her win streak). Bearcat Josi was next best with early leader No Mo Fo Joe completing the triactor.
After just winning one start as a freshman Cusdmagicdragon boasts four wins in six seasonal starts for trainer Hoerdt, who co-owns the daughter of Custard The Dragon - Rockumentary along with Blair & Erna Corbeil of Beaumont, Alberta. The win pushes Cusdmagicdragon's stash of cash to $91,887 lifetime.
In between the stakes races, G Ts Jamie made every call a winning one in the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. Driver J.F. Gagne hustled the pacing mare out of the two hole and powered through fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:25.3 before holding off her rivals in a 1:54.3 mile. Favoured American Passion (Phil Giesbrecht) just missed after a second-over trip, nailing pocket-sitting pylon skimmer Thats It (Rod Hennessy) for place honours.
Gagne was called on to catch-drive G Ts Jamie for injured trainer and co-owner Jim Marino, present in the winner's circle with crutches and a cast after being involved in an accident last Sunday at Century. Marino holds the papers on seven-year-old G Ts Jamie (Brandons Cowboy - G Ts Sheer Delight) with JJJ Stables of Prince George, B.C. The win was the third of the season and 18th lifetime for the Alberta Sires Stakes graduate, now with $158,030 in career earnings.
To view the results from Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.