Off a runner-up finish to end his six-race win streak, the four-year-old Custard The Dragon gelding Codename Cigar Box landed back in the winner’s circle at Century Downs on Tuesday (May 24) with a win in the $10,500 featured pace.
Trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt hustled Codename Cigar Box to the lead past a :27.4 first quarter and faced nary a challenger through the remainder. He coasted to a :56.3 half and to three-quarters in 1:25.1 before opening up on his competition in progress to a 7-1/4-length romp in 1:53.3 over pocket-sitter Stash The Cookies. Crackle N Burn closed to finish third, another 10 lengths behind, with Cenalta Express fourth.
Co-owned by Hoerdt with Fred Gilbert and Blair Corbeil, Codename Cigar Box won his seventh race from 14 starts this season and his 15th from 39 overall. He has banked $219,093 and paid $2.70 to win.
Earlier in the card, Graceful Horizon posted a coast-to-coast victory as the 1-9 favourite in the $10,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. The four-year-old Vertical Horizon mare protected position from the pylon post to a :27.2 first quarter and sped away from her rivals through the middle, clicking a :55.2 half and storming by three-quarters in 1:23.4. The Chris Lancaster trainee then strode to the finish, winning in 1:53 by a diminishing 1-1/4 lengths over Senga Nightmare. Jessies Girl finished third, another nine lengths behind, with Miss Itunes fourth.
Co-owned by Lancaster with Derek Gilbert and Velda Olding, Graceful Horizon won her second race from six starts this season and her 14th from 25 overall. She has earned $177,926. Phil Giesbrecht drove the mare, who paid $2.10 to win.
To view Tuesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Century Downs.