The colts and geldings took their turn in the spotlight at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino as the second round of the Alberta Sires Stakes for two-year-olds continued on Sunday afternoon (September 18).
The freshmen were divided into three $19,067 divisions of the Alberta Lonestar, with Senga Nitro posting the fastest winning time in 1:56.3 to equal the track record for two-year-old pacing colts set last year by Outlaw Gettnrdone and Outlaw Turn N Burn. The time is just three-fifths of a second off the overall two-year-old male record, held by gelding Blue Star Jet (2015).
In the afternoon's first division, Amysterytome ($7.10) led the field through panels of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:28.3, but was collared by 1-2 favourite Mateo and Jim Marino just before the wire. However, when Mateo pulled the pocket at the third quarter mark, he had caused interference to the advancing Big Fantasy and Jamie Gray. As a result, Mateo was placed third behind Big Fantasy while runner-up Amysterytome inherited the victory with his mile clocked in 1:57.3 for trainer/driver Brandon Campbell. The Mystery Chase-Takemetotheriver gelding is owned by Timothy Kane, Gary Zima, and Mike Dicks. He is now two-for-three to start his career, with a runner-up finish in the opening Rising Star leg, and has earnings of $16,799.
Second division favourite Senga Nitro ($3.10) and trainer/driver Ryan Grundy cleanly defeated the pacesetting Retros Mystery (:28.3, :58.3, 1:27.1) in a two-horse breakaway to win by two and a half lengths in the record-tying time of 1:56.3. Tim Hurtins was the best of the rest. Kenneth Gunn owns and bred the Blue Burner-Nells Sweet Future colt, who rebounded from a miscue in the ASHA Colt Stakes and is now four-for-five in his career (two-for-two in Sires Stakes action) with $34,816 banked in purses.
Wabash Cannonball ($17.20) pulled off a mild upset in the third division with a maiden-breaking victory for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt and his partners Peter Giannakopoulos and Blair Corbeil. After tracking Getup Gideon from the pocket through fractions of :29, :59.1 and 1:27.4, he came on for the one and a quarter length win in 1:57.1. Favourite Ima Dude regrouped from a first over miscue and finished second ahead of Getup Gideon. Wabash Cannonball, who was scratched from the opening Sires Stakes leg, has now banked $17,382 in four career starts.
The two-year-old pacing colts will face off in their third and final Shooting Star leg of the Alberta Sires Stakes on Sunday, October 16. The top performers from the season will then advance to the Super Finals on Saturday, October 29.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.