Alberta harness racing’s signature events, the $110,000 (est.) Western Canada Pacing Derby and its sister race the $110,000 (est.) Century Casinos Filly Pace, will have its finalists determined on Friday (Dec. 17) at Century Mile with a pair of eliminations for each contest slated to go on the eight-race card.
Elimination one heads to post as the evening’s fifth race and gathers six behind the wings. Alberta Super Final runner-up Codename Cigar Box fronts the field from post four for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt as the sophomore colt by Custard The Dragon ships back into the province off a 1:55.4 victory in the $75,000 Robert Murphy Memorial at Fraser Downs. He rematches with Shark Week, who finished runner-up to him in the $46,000 Alberta Sires Stakes (ABSS) Marquis, to his inside while the field also includes ABSS Super Final consolation winner Nevada Vacation from post five and Manitoba Standardbred Sires and Breeders Association Futurity runner-up Jim Strikesitrich from post six.
Super Final champ Samba Beat starts from post two in the second elimination for the Western Canada Pacing Derby with Phil Giesbrecht in the bike for trainer Gerry Hudon. The Santanna Blue Chip colt draws inside of Ontario import Saltwater Savage, who made his first start in the west off a Grassroots campaign on November 19 at Century Mile with a sixth-place finish against overnight competition. Glenn Le Drew drives that State Treasurer gelding for trainer Trevor Williams from post five. Sunshine Boy, winner of the $74,870 Ralph Klein Memorial, also competes in the second elimination and lands the pylon post for trainer/driver Brandon Campbell.
Exotic Dragon will try for five wins in a row when she starts from the pylon post in the first elimination of the Century Casinos Filly Pace, which opens the evening’s races. Nate Sobey trains and drives the ABSS Super Final runner-up, who scored a clean sweep of the Mary Murphy Memorial at Fraser Downs. She starts just inside of freshman Super Final champ Burning Hot, a Blue Burner filly who will have Phil Giesbrecht in the bike for trainer Rod Starkewski.
Chris Lancaster pupil Graceful Horizon leads the second elimination for the Century Casinos Filly Pace. The Vertical Horizon filly, who won handily in the $60,000 ABSS Super Final two months ago, will try to rebound off a fourth-place finish as she makes her second start off a sick scratch in mid-November. She starts just inside of Coz Im Special, who posted a 7-1/4-length victory in winning the $10,000 ABSS Super Final Consolation for trainer/driver Dave Kelly, in the five-horse contest.
The top four finishers in each elimination will advance to their respective finals, plus one fifth-place finisher drawn by lot.
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To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - Century Mile.