Custard Dolce (Custard The Dragon) won her fifth straight harness racing contest in stakes company in the Alberta Sires Stakes Starburst for two-year-old pacing fillies at The Track on 2 on Saturday (Sep. 14).
Jamie Gray guided her to the front for the first time in her career, and she reigned over the field through :28.4, :59.2, and 1:29.2 fractions. She hit top gear as she came off the turn, and the filly thundered away from the field to a seven-and-a-quarter-length triumph in 1:56.4. Dragons Attitude (Serge Masse) finished second from the pocket, followed by Utherockinmyroll (Nathan Sobey).
CUSTARD DOLCE REPLAY
Custard Dolce is unbeaten in five starts since her debut with victories in the Emerald Filly Pace, Alberta Sires Stakes Starlet, and ASHA Filly Pace. Gray trains his homebred filly and co-owns her with Jackson Wittup, Max Gibb, and Derek Wilson. She has earned $73,387 and won five times in six outings.
Mademechangemymind (Winds Of Change, Sobey) proved resolute as she recovered from an early break to win the first division. She hustled after her miscue behind the gate to secure fifth position in the first quarter, moved out approaching the half, and rallied three-wide as the field straightened for home before rolling by rivals to score by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:56.4.
Hot Shot Shark (Logan Gillis), who struck the front in the stretch, finished second over Blowing In the Wind (Kelly Hoerdt).
Mademychangemymind, owned and trained by Sobey, is now three-for-five lifetime with $43,033 in earnings. She won her Alberta Sires Stakes Starlet on debut and her ASHA Filly Pace elimination before finishing second behind Custard Dolce in the final.
Kid Winter (Up The Credit, Phil Price) converted a second-quarter blast to a victory in the second split. She was away seventh but brushed by every opponent to take over before the half. She built a three-length cushion on the last turn and took it into the lane, when Imashipwreck (Phil Giesbrecht) began to close in. Despite being on one line in deep-stretch, she held off that rival, reaching the line to win by a quarter-length in 1:57.3.
Ahoof Ahead (Scott Knight) completed the triactor.
Kid Winter is unbeaten in two career starts for Price, who trains her and shares ownership with Orianna Scheck. The filly has earned $11,750.
The card also featured two divisions of the Alberta Sires Stakes Lone Star for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
Outlawminutbyminut (Smart Shark, Logan Gillis), after popping the pocket on the final turn, grinded down favourite Discontinued (Mike Hennessy) and caught him in the final strides to prevail in the first group. It was a new career-best time of 1:55.2 for the winner. G Ts Captain Solo (Masse) was several lengths back in third.
Outlawminutbyminut is now riding a three-race win streak. He won the Century Casinos Pace last out for trainer Gillis, who co-owns the gelding with Todd Teolis. The freshman has now earned $55,450 in five career tries.
Momas Work Of Art (Outrageous Art) captured the final division. Serge Masse gave him a pocket trip, and the colt slingshotted by pacesetter G Ts Jukebox Jack (Hennessy) down the lane to win by two-and-a-half lengths in 1:55.2. G Ts Jukebox Jack hung on for place over the surging Westcoast Mccoy (Giesbrecht).
The win was the third lifetime for Momas Work Of Art, and it came with a new lifetime mark. He won the Alberta Sires Stakes Rising Star earlier this season and has now earned $52,400 for owners Shelly Arsenault, Don M Jr. Stables, and Wittup. Arsenault trains the two-year-old.
The final Alberta Sires Stakes events for two-year-olds are schedules for Oct. 19 at Century Mile.
The Track On 2 will conclude its season on Sunday, Sep. 15 with a nine-race card beginning at 1:10 p.m. MDT.
For complete race results, click here.
by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink