Off the 6-5 favourite, Shark Week delivered a coast-to-coast performance in taking the $45,100 Alberta Marksman Final on Sunday (June 27) at Century Downs.
Driver Michael Hennessy cleared command with Shark Week while Dragon Energy landed in the pocket from the second tier to a :27.2 first quarter. They remained one-two through a :57.1 half and 1:25.1 three-quarters before Shark Week scooted three lengths clear off the final turn. Dragon Energy gave futile chase to the 3-year-old Vertical Horizon colt through the stretch, settling for second in the 1:53.1 mile by 2 1/2 lengths. Codename Cigar Box finished third another two lengths back.
Co-owned by trainer Rod Hennessy with Lorne Duffield, Shark Week won his fifth race from eight starts, earning $62,680. He paid $4.30 to win.
Exotic Dragon ground first over as the odds-on choice in the $45,100 Alberta Diamond final to score a decisive 1 1/4-length victory in 1:53.4.
Away fourth to a :28 first quarter, trainer-driver Nate Sobey sent Exotic Dragon off the pylons to press pacesetter Burning Hot into a :57.3 half. The 3-year-old Custard The Dragon filly drew closer to the leader as the tempo quickened to three-quarters in 1:25 and edged a head in front off the final turn. From there, Exotic Dragon inched away from second-place finisher Burning Hot while Graceful Horizon rallied from third over for show.
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Owned by Robert Jones, Exotic Dragon won her fourth race from seven starts, earning $34,940. She paid $3.20 to win.
Earlier on the card, Jessies Girl swept past her competition to take the undercard feature—an $8,100 conditioned pace. The four-year-old Badlands Hanover mare caught cover after a :27.2 first quarter to race third over, and gained ground through middle splits of :56.3 and 1:25.1. Driver Phil Giesbrecht then tipped his charge off cover into the stretch and stormed home to land a neck in front of Chocolate Terror in 1:55.1 while 9-5 favourite Chase The Ace closed for third. Trainer Derek Stout owns the mare who paid $15.80 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.