The Outrageous Art filly Divine Art dashed from a pocket trip to an open-length romp in the second of two $22,500 divisions of the Emerald Filly Pace, a race for two-year-old pacing fillies, on Sunday (Aug. 29) at Century Downs.
Odds-on favourite Shoot The Whiskey pushed for the lead from pylon post while trainer-driver Nate Sobey tucked Divine Art in behind to a :28.1 first quarter. She then stayed put as Memum Knownothing flushed first over by Wrangler Jewel, who raced off the pegs from the start, moving to a :58.2 half.
Memum Knownothing applied minor pressure to Shoot The Whiskey up the backside, but began to falter after three-quarters in 1:26.1. And then, off the final turn, Shoot The Whiskey broke stride, leaving Divine Art to dart to the front and leave her competition in her wake as she stormed to a 7-1/4-length win in 1:55.3. Tin Foil Hat followed up the pylons for second while Wrangler Jewel rallied off cover for third.
Owned by Robert T. Jones, Diane Bertrand and John Hind, Divine Art won her first race from four starts, earning $19,485. She paid $8.90 to win.
Saphire Blue slid to the lead and took the field gate to wire in the first division of the Emerald Filly Pace, stopping the clock in 1:57.2.
Driver Michael Hennessy secured the top with Saphire Blue to a :29.3 first quarter and raced uncontested through the stretch into a 1:00.3 half. Two Fingers Gold angled first over from fourth moving into the second turn and ranged to within a length of the lead heading to three-quarters in 1:28.2. But the wide trip proved taxing to Two Fingers Gold and she began to falter into the final turn as Saphire Blue scooted away towards the stretch, winning by 3-1/2 lengths over closing Hazels Wildling. Metaki took third.
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A filly by Vertical Horizon, Saphire Blue remains unbeaten from four starts, banking $42,250 for owner Donald Richardson. Harold Haining trains the $3.90 winner.
The two-year-old pacing colts and geldings sparred earlier on the card in three $15,000 divisions of the Rocky Mountain Boys, with the first division going to heavy favourite Vegas Gambler in 1:56.1.
Leaving from post 5, Vegas Gambler grabbed command with ease to a :27.1 first quarter and faced no pressure through fractions of :57 and 1:26.1. In his stroll to the finish, Vegas Gambler opened 7-3/4 lengths on second-place finisher So Strange, while Bearcat Sue finished third and pocket-sitter Chuck You Farlie broke stride into the stretch and settled for fourth.
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Co-owned by trainer Rod Starkewski with Clauzette Byckal, Vegas Gambler won his third race from four starts, earning $36,475. Phil Giesbrecht drove the Mystery Chase colt who paid $2.30 to win.
Redstone Arsenal wired his rivals in the second division of the Rocky Mountain Boys, winning in 1:57. The colt by Huntsville protected position from the pylons post and posted splits of :28.2, :58.4 and 1:27 in progress to a length victory over Restless And Wild. Ladner Lad rallied from the back of the pack to take third.
Owned by Lorne Duffield, Redstone Arsenal won his second race from three starts, earning $9,750. Michael Hennessy drove the $6.90 winner for trainer Rod Hennessy.
Trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt lunged to the finish with the Vertical Horizon colt Lets Tie One On to snag the final Rocky Mountain Boys split in 1:58.
Prairie Pursuit overtook the lead past a :28.4 first quarter from Light My Shadow moving into the stretch first time. Joe Rich rolled first over from fourth approaching a :59.1 half and swept to the lead as the field entered the backstretch, where Hoerdt got underway with Lets Tie One On. He took cover from first-over Subzero moving to three-quarters in 1:27.1 and fired off the helmet around the final turn to land a neck in front of Subzero at the beam. Prairie Pursuit faltered and settled for third.
Co-owned by Hoerdt with Derek Gilbert and Chris Lancaster, Lets Tie One On stayed unbeaten from two starts while earning $9,750. He paid $6.60 to win.
Lets Tie One On completed a training hat trick for Hoerdt on the 11-race card. He first sent and steered Watch Me Boogie ($13.50) to a 1:55.2 victory and came back in the following race for a wire-to-wire score with Cenalta Express ($4.70).
Century Downs will be closed on Tuesday (Aug. 31) for track maintenance, so the Calgary oval will host a substitute 11-race card on Monday (Aug. 30) starting at 2:15 p.m. (MDT).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.