Century Downs Casino and Racetrack's first stakes weekend continued with the three and four-year-old male pacers in the spotlight on Sunday for three $14,000 divisions of the Prairie Boys Stakes.
Travis Cullen completed a natural hat-trick to open the Sunday card with Captain Hazardous in the afternoon's first $14,000 division of the Prairie Boys. The three-year-old son of Mach Three was a dominant four-length winner in a career-best clocking of 1:56 flat for owner Rob Ostashek Holdings Ltd. of Edmonton, Alta.
Cullen pulled 1-9 favourite Captain Hazardous from the pocket coming off the first turn and took over the lead at the quarter pole, which was reached in :29.1. He continued to lead the field past the half in :58.3 when Rare Breed (Bobby Clark) began to advance. The first over challenger was only able to make it up to into second-place on the outside though and that prompted Have Not Read It (Kelly Hoerdt) to rally three-wide to move into contention. However, Captain Hazardous was still clear on the front as he moved by three-quarters in 1:26.3 and began to widen his leading margin turning for home. Have Not Read It continued to chase the favourite down the stretch and secured runner-up honours while Dash Point Hanover (Philip Giesbrecht) came on for third over early leaver You And Tequila (Gerry Hudon).
Driver Bobby Clark worked out a perfect pocket trip aboard Mysharona Bluechip to take the second stakes division in 1:58.4, a new lifetime mark for the sophomore son of Rock N Roll Heaven. Robin Chase currently trains the colt for Alberta owners Robert Jones of Slave Lake and Wayne Salisbury of Calgary.
Mysharona Bluechip, the 3-1 third choice, followed even-money favourite Phanatical Maniac (Nathan Sobey) through fractions of :29.4, 1:02.2 and 1:30.2. When first over Bruadar (Brandon Campbell) began to fade around the final turn, Clark pulled Mysharona Bluechip from the pocket and wore down the pacesetter with :28 final quarter speed for the half-length victory -- his first this year. Painting The Wind (Jamie Gray) finished over four lengths behind in third.
Four-year-old pacer Rodeo Joe also earned his first win of the season with a career-best 1:56.4 victory in the third and final stakes division for trainer Rod Starkewski and owner Norman Kennedy of Calgary.
Driven by Bill Tainsh Jr., the son of Brandons Cowboy defeated 1-2 favourite Full Moon Dodger (Brandon Campbell) in a photo finish. The runner-up had established the lead through a :27.2 while forcing Presidential Pass (Rod Hennessy) to take back into the pocket. Rodeo Joe, the 4-1 second choice, began his first over journey from fifth approaching the :58.2 half-mile mark and engaged in a battle with Full Moon Dodger through three-quarters in 1:27.1. The top pair raced into the stretch together with Full Moon Dodger seeming to have the upper-hand until Rodeo Joe surged by in the final stride. Presidential Pass followed nearly three lengths behind in third.
Cullen completed Sunday's 12-race with a total of five wins. In addition to his stakes victory, his Sunday stable stars included the maiden-breaking four-year-old mare Runway Model, Make It So, a recent addition to his barn, and repeat winner Raging Fingers, who came within one-fifth of stablemate Who Doesnt's 1:53.3 track record that was set opening weekend. His four trainees won by a combined 33-1/2 lengths. Cullen also catch-drove Fly On The Wall for trainer Douglas Stout.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.