Odds-on favourite Graceful Horizon blazed the Century Downs oval on Saturday (May 14) to post a track-record mile in winning the $30,000 Bev Sears Memorial.
Driver Phil Giesbrecht grabbed the lead with the four-year-old Vertical Horizon mare to a :26.4 first quarter and kept on the pedal. She began to slide away from the field to a :55.2 half and to three-quarters in 1:23 before separating more from her competition. Graceful Horizon powered to the finish to win by 6-3/4 lengths in 1:52.1, lowering the previous track record for an aged pacing mare of 1:52.3 set by Glimpseofgoodness. Senga Nightmare rallied off a pylon trip to finish second while Century Mach sat the pocket and settled for third with Outlaw Spiced Rum another seven lengths behind in fourth.
Co-owned by trainer Chris Lancaster with Derek Gilbert and Velda Olding, Graceful Horizon won her first race from five starts this season and her 13th from 24 overall. She has earned $172,676 and paid $3.90 to win.
Samba Beat later sped to win the other stakes event on the evening, winning that $30,000 Ed Tracey Memorial in 1:52.
Also driven by Phil Giesbrecht, Samba Beat protected position from the pylon post to lead to a :28.2 first quarter and cruised to a :57.4 half. Codename Cigar Box, the 3-5 favourite, raced in fourth and started to roll in the backside as Samba Beat accelerated to three-quarters in 1:24.4. Off the soft first half, Samba Beat stayed steady off the corner and maintained his speed to the finish to break Codename Cigar Box’s win streak by 3-3/4 lengths. Shark Week gave pursuit from the pocket to finish third with Carro B Bunsen another seven lengths behind in fourth.
Trained by Gerry Hudon, who co-owns with Monica Hudon and William Andrew, Samba Beat won his fourth race from seven starts this season and his 10th from 25 overall. The four-year-old Santanna Blue Chip stallion has banked $80,866 and paid $6.90 to win.
Earlier on the card, Giesbrecht bagged another win while notching another onto the record of Mr Dillion, who won his sixth straight. The Greg Manning trainee sat a pocket trip before popping off the pegs heading to the final turn and coasting home to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:55.3. Manning owns the four-year-old Lambretta stallion, who paid $2.80 to win.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Century Downs.