Fans were treated to a set of $9,000 feature races Monday afternoon at Century Downs, with Custard Lite triumphing in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace and Freedoms Fellow taking the checkered flag in the Open Pace.
Custard Lite got away second before marching to the lead in the second quarter. After Scardy Cat supplied the :28 opener, Custard Lite ripped through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26 before using a :29.2 closing quarter to win by 5-1/2 lengths over Sell A Bit N in 1:55.2. Paperback Thriller was third.
Michael Hennessy mapped out the winning trip for the five-year-old daughter of Custard The Dragon-Enlightened One. Trainer Rod Hennessy co-owns the mare with partner Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, AB. The 19-time winner now owns a 2-1-0 record from nine trips to the track this season. She’s banked in excess of $14,000 this year and more than $237,000 to date.
Freedoms Fellow made a bold move in the late stages of the mile and eked out a nose decision over Crackle N Burn en route to posting a startling upset in the co-featured Open Pace.
Sent off at odds of 45-1, the six-year-old son of Freedoms Pass-Western Reserve watched Senga Nitro and Boling Oar takes turn on the lead through fractions of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.2 before kicking off cover and using his :29.1 closing speed to win. Crackle And Burn was next best with race favourite Kneedeep N Custard taking home third prize.
Sobey owns the gelding with Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy, and collectively they’ve watched the pacer go 2-0-1 from his first three starts of the season. The 16-time winner has stashed away more than $95,000 to date.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Century Downs.