The fillies fired in their $11,250 divisions of the Alberta Diamond on Sunday (June 20) at Century Downs with the colts and geldings later sparring in a pair of $11,250 splits for the Alberta Marksman.
Exotic Dragon turned in a tour of force with an 8-1/2 length romp in the second split of the Alberta Diamond. Trainer-driver Nate Sobey settled the Custard The Dragon filly into second past a :27.3 quarter before circling to the lead and from there coasted through middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:26. Widening her lead off the final turn, Exotic Dragon strolled to the beam in 1:54 while Outlaw Endofanera gave chase to take second. Da Magic Coco, who led past the quarter, faded to third.
Owned by Robert Jones, Exotic Dragon won her third race from six starts, earning $12,390. She paid $5.10 to win.
In the first division of the Alberta Diamond, 1-9 favourite Burning Hot delivered a one-length score in 1:55. The Blue Burner filly, leaving from post 2, took command to a :28.2 first quarter and faced little pressure through a :57.1 half and to three-quarters in 1:25.4. Outlaw Sharktastic made gains out of fourth up the backstretch and through the final turn, but settled for second to the odds-on choice while Sent By Angels finished third by another eight lengths.
Co-owned by breeder and trainer Rod Starkewski with Cluazette Byckal, Burning Hot won her second race from four starts this season and her sixth from 11 overall, earning $70,897. Phil Giesbrecht drove the $2.10 winner.
Shark Week bested the boys when winning the second split of the Alberta Marksman, doing so in a 1:54.1 mile. Driver Michael Hennessy grabbed command with the Vertical Horizon colt to a :28.3 first quarter and endured first-over pressure from Codname Cigar Box through middle fractions of :58.1 and 1:26.1. His first-over challenger began to fade into the final turn while pocket-sitter Carro B Bunsen also started to lose ground, leaving Shark Week alone in the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths. Carro B Bunsen held second and Codename Cigar Box finished third.
Owned by trainer Rod Hennessy along with Lorne Duffield, Shark Week won his fourth race from seven starts, earning $40,130. He paid $6.30 to win.
Trainer-driver Nate Sobey returned to the winner’s circle in the start prior with his Custard The Dragon gelding Dragon Energy to take the first division of the Alberta Markman. Seizing control to a :27 first quarter, Dragon Energy gradually slowed through a :56.3 and 1:26 three-quarters. And though the backfield crept closer through the decelerating tempo, Dragon Energy held firm to the finish. He won by a half length over closing Blue Who, with pocket-sitter Samba Beat taking third.
A homebred for Kurt & Kathy Schmidt co-owned by Robert James, Dragon Energy won his seventh race from eight starts, earning $70,458. He paid $4.00 to win.
Early in the card, Mrs Suhwiggins pulled a 17-1 upset with a wire-to-wire victory in the $8,100 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. Taking command from post 7, Mrs Suhwiggins posted a clip of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:25.3 uncontested and cruised through the stretch to cap a 1:55.4 mile by 1 1/2 lengths over closing Rockin Mystery. Chase The Ace, sent the 2-1 favourite, finished third.
Returning $37.60 to win, Mrs Suhwiggins won her 18th race from 50 starts, earning $270,863. Michael Campbell conditions the five-year-old Custard The Dragon mare for owner J J J Stables while Michael Hennessy sat in the sulky.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.