Major Custard ($2.40) maintained his perfect three-year-old season with a commanding 1:55.3 score in the $84,790 Ralph Klein Memorial for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, which shared top billing on Saturday's (Aug. 29) Century Downs card with the $94,100 Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial for sophomore fillies.
Brandon Campbell pointed Major Custard to an easy lead over Criminal Record (Kelly Hoerdt) on approach to the first turn, and a tepid :59.1 first half practically sealed the deal for the gelded son of Custard The Dragon. With three-eighths to go, Major Custard picked up the pace enough to evade the first-over advance of Horse (Ryan Grundy) past three-quarters in 1:27.2.
On the far turn, Horse worked briefly into a narrow second over Criminal Record, and Trip Hammer (Nathan Sobey) tipped three-wide off cover while cornering for home, but Major Custard was driven clear of his challengers upon straightening and won by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:55.3 while kept to task. Criminal Record narrowly held second after pulling pocket and giving futile chase, doing so over the ground-saving Speaking Of Art (Keith Clark).
Michael Campbell trains Major Custard, whose seven wins in as many starts this season also include open-length scores in the Alberta Marksman and Plainsman stakes events, for the JJJ Stables and Jim Marino.
Jessies Girl ($22.60) passed all eight of her rivals en route to a 1:56.4 victory in the $94,100 Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial for three-year-old fillies.
Jessies Girl was nowhere to be found in the early stages while Century Gianna (Hoerdt) sprinted clear from post 8 and threw down a :28.2 quarter while tracked by Blue Star Dreaming (Mike Hennessy) and even-money favourite Rockinwithcustard (Campbell). With a circuit to go, Century Gianna's stablemate Watch Me Boogie (Dave Kelly) advanced in the outer tier, forcing an outer flow that buried Rockinwithcustard at the pegs through a backed down :59 half mile.
Watch Me Boogie tired upon reaching the backstretch, which prompted Miss Itunes (Nathan Sobey) to push to the fore with three furlongs to go. And while she pushed clear of a gasping Century Gianna at three-quarters in 1:27, Jessies Girl and driver Jamie Gray had circled three-wide from ninth into second — and stoutly closed ground on the final turn.
Jessies Girl struck the front at the top of the stretch and easily reeled in Miss Itunes — but her main danger came in the form of Blue Star Dreaming, who found room to vacate traffic and give chase. Jessies Girl dug in to prevail by a diminishing length in 1:56.4 over Blue Star Dreaming, while Miss Itunes had enough to narrowly hold third over Rockin With Lou (Keith Clark).
Jessies Girl (#3, right) withstood the late challenge of Blue Star Dreaming to win the Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial at Century Downs.
Rockinwithcustard finished seventh after severe traffic woes and some instances of an awkward gait in the stretch.
Doug Stout trains six-time winner Jessies Girl, a daughter of Badlands Hanover, for owner-breeder Derek Stout.
The undercard featured a trio of Alberta Lonestar divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, two of which were captured by their respective odds-on favourites, as well as two Alberta Starburst splits for rookie pacing fillies which both saw the heavy public choices prevail.
Dragon Energy ($2.90) took top honours among 19 male juveniles in the Lonestar with a 1:57.1 mile in line to Dave Kelly. The Nathan Sobey-trained son of Custard The Dragon and Tik Tik Vroom extended his undefeated career record to three-for-three with a one-length victory over Codename Cigar Box.
Kelly Hoerdt's Had A Hard Handle ($2.30) also prevailed at odds-on with a 1:58.3 score. In the other division, Shark Week ($7.10) outpaced 4-5 choice Lovin Up On You and scored by four lengths in 1:57.3 under Mike Hennessy.
Of the 17 fillies to contest the Starburst, Graceful Horizon ($3.30) proved best with a 1:57.1 mile in her division, parrying a strong first-over attack from Burning Hot and winning by 1-3/4 lengths in line to Kelly. The Chris Lancaster trainee is now two-for-two in her young career.
Custard Smoothie ($2.30) captured the other division with an 8-3/4 length drubbing of Overactive in 1:58.4. Brandon and Michael Campbell teamed up with the daughter of Custard The Dragon.
To view Saturday's complete results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Century Downs.