Odds-on favourite Shark Week delivered at odds of 1-9 to take the $13,500 featured pace on opening day at Century Downs Saturday afternoon (March 11).
Driver Mike Hennessy hustled the five-year-old Vertical Horizon gelding to the lead and kept his competition chasing through fractions of :28.4, :59.2 and 1:29. He then spun for home to strolled to a 1-3/4-length win in 1:57.2 over pocket-sitter Armycaptin Hanover. Sunshine Boy gave chase to the top two in third and Tiempo Hanover rode a pylon trip for fourth.
Trainer Rod Hennessy co-owns Shark Week with Lorne Duffield. The gelding won his 23rd race from 55 starts and has now earned $222,975. He paid $2.20 to win.
Trainer Brandon Campbell swept the top two spots later in the co-featured $10,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Handicap with Cheese Whiz taking victory. The five-year-old Betterthancheddar mare sat fifth while Saphire Blue pushed forward to lead after a :28.4 first quarter. As the tempo slowed to a 1:00.3 half, driver Kelly Hoerdt launched Cheese Whiz to the outside and brushed to the lead before three-quarters in 1:29.3 and held her ground through the lane. She withstood a stretch charge from stablemate Betcha Baby by three-quarter lengths to win in 1:59.3 while Saphire Blue settled for third and Goodbye Ceia Later took fourth.
Raymond Henry owns Cheese Whiz, a 10-time winner in 64 starts and an earner of $71,362. She paid $5.60 to win.
Racing continues at Century Downs on Saturdays through April before the track moves to a Friday-Saturday schedule starting in May, and mostly abiding by that schedule through the meeting’s run to closing day Friday, Aug. 18.
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Century Downs.