At the age of 10, Stash The Cookies is still certified fresh.
Making her 144th lifetime start, the daughter of Sunfire Blue Chip - Saucy B picked up her 50th career victory in style, wiring her foes in the $15,500 Preferred Pace at Century Downs on Saturday, May 30.
Leaving from the innermost post in the top class against six rivals, Stash The Cookies made every call a winning one in her milestone tally. Driver Drew Campbell sent the classy campaigner through fractions of :28.3, :57.1 and 1:25.4 before facing an emerging threat down the lane in the form of pocket-sitting Georgia Hanover (Kelly Hoerdt) darting to her inside. A :29.3 final stanza sealed the deal for Stash The Cookies, best a length with the mile timed in 1:55.2 Poker Queen (Phil Giesbrecht) finished a solid third after a first-over bid.
Fred & Alice Gilbert of Brandon, Man. own Stash The Cookies, now a winner of more than $514,000 in her commendable career. The Chris Lancaster pupil paid $7.90 to win as the ever-so-slight 5-2 second choice in the mutuels.
Outlaw Game On delivered once again in the top class at Century Downs, prevailing in the $15,500 Preferred Pace.
Leaving from the pylons for driver Mike Hennessy as the 4-5 choice, Outlaw Game On allowed longshot Rum N Custard (Hoerdt) to land on top early, fronting the field through a :28.1 opening quarter. Before Rum N Custard hit that first marker, Hennessy had Outlaw Game On pocket-popping to take over in front of the grandstand. Second choice Mercedes (Brandon Campbell) started his attack approaching the wire for the first time around as Outlaw Game On hit the half in :57.2.
Campbell stepped on the gas with Mercedes down the backside, making it to with a length of the leader approaching the third quarter but advancing no closer as Outlaw Game On rebuffed that rival through a 1:26 third station. Needabankloan (Giesbrecht) and Midnight Mover (James Jungquist) commenced a three-wide bid around the far turn to target a vulnerable pacesetter, but they could not collar the public choice — or each other for that matter, finishing in a dead-heat for second behind Outlaw Game On, a dead-game 1:55.3 winner by half a length.
Rod Hennessy trains and co-owns Outlaw Game On, now a three-time winner from 10 outings in his five-year-old season and a 12-time winner in 60 starts in his career. The altered son of Smart Shark - Sobia Hanover lifted his lifetime earnings over the $128,000 mark for co-owners Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta., Five C Stable of Cranbrook, B.C. and Jason Clouston of Okotoks, Alta. Outlaw Game on returned $3.70 to win.
Leading trainer Rebecca Kanak tacked another three wins onto her total on the nine-race card. The winners from her barn were Always Gonna B You ($8.60), Catch Me Oliver ($4.80) and Outlaw Playmymovie ($2.90). The former two were driven by Drew Campbell, and Mike Hennessy guided the latter to victory lane. Kanak now has a lead of seven wins in the Century Downs standings over second-placed Brandon Campbell. The fourth-year conditioner, coming off a career-best season, is 42-for-159 overall this year.
To view the results from Saturday's card of harness racing outside Calgary, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)