Shark Week extended his latest win streak to seven in the $16,000 Preferred Handicap Pace on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Century Downs, while both Brandon Campbell and Dave Kelly trained three winners on the 12-race closing day card.
Shark Week went straight to the front as expected and dictated the fractions of :26.3, :55.1, and 1:22.4 for Mike Hennessy, and he held the closing Midnight Mover (James Jungquist) three-quarters of a length behind under measured handling to win in 1:51.3. Matteuse (Nathan Sobey) was third. The winner returned $2.20.
Shark Week, the fastest horse in Western Canada harness racing history, earned his 14th win in 17 starts this season. The Vertical Horizon-Shark Gone Bad gelding recorded his 63rd win in his 101st career start while raising his earnings to $535,270. The seven-year-old, who holds the all-age record at Century Downs, is trained by Rod Hennessy of Strathmore, Alta., who co-owns him with Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta.
Campbell took three training wins on the final card, falling two short in the standings of leader Travis Ellis. He drove Crown Princess ($16.50) to a 1:56 win in the second race, won the fifth race as Mike Hennessy steered Captive Mind ($2.90) to a dominant 1:55.3 score, and completed the triple behind Wheres Papi ($3.20) in 1:53.3 in the seventh. He won 39 races on the training side at Century Downs and has an 18.9 per cent win rate across all tracks this year.
Kelly, just one victory behind Campbell, moved into third place after sending out three to victory on Saturday. His winners, all driven by him, were Tin Can Timmy ($2.70) in the fourth race in 1:53, General Custard ($4.30) in the ninth race in 1:55.1, and Bonus Round ($7.80) in 1:52.1 in Race 11. Kelly tallied 38 wins at the track this year, and his stable is winning at a 20 per cent rate overall.
Though he missed top training honours, Campbell took home the driving title, finishing with 92 wins after a triple on Saturday. He was 12 clear of second-placed Mike Hennessy. Ellis didn't tally in the season finale, but he held on to take the training title with 41 victories.
Alberta racing continues at The Track On 2, with Century Mile scheduled to begin its meet on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)