Pacing filly Over Ice maintained the impressive start to her career, winning for the sixth time in seven starts to kick off Alberta Sires Stakes action on Saturday, May 19 at Century Downs.
Over Ice was sent off at 3-5 in the first $8,300 ABSS Alberta Diamond elimination, and the filly responded with a performance fitting of a horse at those odds. Phil Giesbrecht pointed Over Ice to the lead and she glided through fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:25.1 before speeding home in :28.2 for the lifetime best 1:53.3 mile. Byby Baby Byby (Mike Hennessy) was three lengths back with Caughtstealinghome (Jamie Gray) the third horse to advance to next week's $50,000 final.
A homebred of J J J Stables of B.C., Over Ice (Custard The Dragon-Arm In Arm) is managed by Brandon Campbell for her Alberta appearances. The 2023 Betty Millbank winner paid $3.30 to win.
After putting up fractions of :28.3, 1:00 and 1:27.1 in the second elim, Born A Spy (Blake Piwniuk) couldn't hold off pocket-sitting 7-5 favourite Saucy Posse, who breezed by in the stretch for trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt to easily win in a lifetime best 1:56.3. Outlawelectricblue (Nathan Sobey) and Oye Como Va (Hennessy) edged out Born A Spy to complete the trio advancing to next week's final.
Saucy Posse (Custard The Dragon-Artprize) is a homebred of Hoerdt, Blair and Erna Corbeil. The filly, who returned $4.80 on a $2 win wager, picked up her second lifetime win in nine appearances.
These two fillies will face a formidable foe in the Alberta Diamond final by the name of Outlawguns N Roses. And if Over Ice showed what a 3-5 shot should do, Outlawguns N Roses was a textbook 1-9 winner.
Clearing to the top from post six for driver David Kelly, Outlawguns N Roses ($2.10) danced through splits of, :28, :56.3 and 1:25.2 before Kelly asked his rivals if they knew where they were, and the answer to that question was they were in the jungle, baby. With a :28.2 final panel, Outlawguns N Roses made to Paradise City more than 12 lengths the best in a time of 1:53.4. Longshots Lumby Dragon (Giesbrecht) and Licklips Swinghips (Hoerdt) were next best.
Trainer Rod Starkewski co-owns Outlawguns N Roses (Captive Audience-Gunslingin Gal) with Clauzette Byckal. In her 11th career start, Outlawguns N Roses pushed her earnings over the $100,000 mark while sporting a 6-3-0 summary.
Come On Santana settled in for the pocket ride to take race 10's Alberta Marksman for three-year-old colts and geldings. Trainer Jamie Gray was in the bike for the second elimination of the stakes worth $12,500.
Favoured Grey Horizon (Hennessy) took early control of the field and led every step as the pacesetter, posting panels in :27, :56.3 and 1:25.3. Come On Santana landed in second along the pylons and maintained position throughout the mile. An outer bid was started by Rum N Custard (Piwniuk) in which he met Come On Santana on even terms going into the stretch. The pacesetter faded and the stretch battle formed between Rum N Custard and Come On Santana. Down to the wire, Come On Santana prevailed by a neck over Rum N Custard in 1:55.1. Tzilacatzin (Chris Brown) completed the top three.
Gray co-owns Come On Santana (Santanna Blue Chip-Sealedwithapromise) with Max Gibb and Riley and Brie Gray. The sophomore gelding moved his career sum to $121,000 while improving his record to 6-2-1 from nine starts. He returned $8.80 to win as the 3-1 second choice.
There was a no contest in the ninth after an accident took place heading into the opening turn that involved multiple horses and drivers. Kelly Hoerdt was taken to local hospital for precautionary reasons, with the rest of those involved checked out by paramedics before given the all clear to maintain activity.
An update on Hoerdt and his horse, Wrangler Treasure, the remaining Marksman division and the status of next week's final will be posted when available.
To view the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Century Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)