Twenty of the most promising juvenile fillies in Alberta will vie for their share of the spotlight when Century Mile raises the curtain on their inaugural harness meet on Sunday (Sept. 1).
The nine-race program will commence at 1:15 p.m. Mountain time, with three divisions of the Alberta Starburst Stakes serving as co-headliners.
Of the six fillies to contest the $16,800 first split (race two), L A Woman is the only one in search of a second stakes win. The Donald Richardson homebred overcame an early break to take a $17,400 Alberta Starlet division in 1:57.2 at Century Downs on Aug. 5. Gerry Hudon is listed to drive the daughter of Trust The Artist and Cloud Nine for trainer Harold Haining.
The $17,100 second split (race three) will see a pair of two-time winners square off: Custards Crown and Snow Shark. Custards Crown commenced her career with back-to-back stakes wins at Century Downs, using a first-over grind to win her Emerald division before posting a lifetime-best 1:56.4 mile in her Starlet split. Phil Giesbrecht is listed to drive the daughter of Custard The Dragon and Contesta Hanover for trainer Chris Lancaster from post one. Her main rival, Snow Shark, was a beaten third in the Starlet, but proved a dominant winner in her Emerald division on July 28 for owner-trainer-driver Keith Clark. The daughter of Custard The Dragon and Shark Fest will start from post three in the field of seven.
Custards Crown will seek her third stakes win on Sunday's inaugural harness card at Century Mile.
In the $17,100 third division (race four), Treasure Horizon will seek back-to-back stakes wins after circling three-wide to a 1:56.1 score in her Starlet division at Century Downs. Trainer David Kelly will drive the daughter of Vertical Horizon and Expensive Return for the Pick 6 Stable from post three in the field of seven.
A $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open (race eight) will serve as the sub-featured event on the Opening Day program, with two invaders from Woodbine Mohawk Park — both for trainer J.F. Gagne — headlining the field of eight. Outlaw Fireball (post five) competed in the Preferred ranks in Ontario through April and May, and has won over $400,000 in her career. She most recently gave chase to stablemate Tajmeallover (post six) in a qualifier at The Track On 2 that concluded with both mares pacing :27.2 final quarters. Tajmeallover, also an earner of over $400,000 in her career, competed in upper-level conditioned events at Woodbine Mohawk Park as recently as May.
After Century Mile conducted their inaugural Thoroughbred meet from May to August, Standardbreds will compete over the Edmonton racetrack for the balance of 2019.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Century Mile.