There was no shortage of action on the packed Saturday (Nov. 4) evening card at Century Mile with the ABSS Super Finals on tap as the main event with headliners featured by the longest win streak of the year extended by Shark Week and a $10 million career milestone earned by trainer Jamie Gray.
Mickie Mantle posted a 9-1 stunning upset in the $75,000 ABSS Super Final for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Doug McNair took the Kelly Hoerdt student to the gate in post four. The pair got away sixth through the first two panels in :27.1 and :55 before pulling to the outside behind cover at the three-quarters in 1:23.2. Mickie Mantle assumed command of the field at the top of the stretch and kept going to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2. General Custard (David Kelly) followed his cover to second and pacesetting favourite Blue Star Mercury (Mike Hennessy) had to settle for the show spot.
As he earned his fourth win of the season and ninth career victory, Mickie Mantle (Custard The Dragon) moved his lifetime bankroll to $177,498. Fred Gilbert co-owns the winner with Hoerdt. He returned a $20.60 win ticket.
The victory in 1:52.2 by Mickie Mantle equaled the track record for sophomore pacing colts set by Horse in 2020.
McNair doubled up in Super Finals triumphs with a victory in the freshman colts and geldings division for Come On Santana.
Come On Santana sat third through panels in :28.2, :58, and 1:27.1 before popping in the stretch to take the win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.4. Grey Horizon (Brandon Campbell) finished second while Matteuse (Nathan Sobey) completed the triactor.
The son of Santanna Blue Chip is co-owned by trainer/breeder Jamie Gray along with Max Gibb, and Riley & Brie Gray. He moved his career record to 5-2-1 from eight starts with $114,750 banked. He paid $5.50 to win.
With a 1:54.4 victory, Come On Santana lowered the track record for freshman geldings set in 2019 by Lovemyrockinbird in 1:55.
In the division for sophomore fillies, You Promyst gave McNair his third Super Finals victory on the card and fifth overall evening victory.
McNair and the Jean Francois Gagne trainee sat fourth through the opening panel in :27.4 and half in :56 before pulling first over en route to the three-quarters in 1:26. In the final turn, You Promyst achieved the lead and never looked back as she headed home to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55. Caviar N Crackers (Giebrecht) rallied from the back of the pack to take second and Nonversation (Sobey) earned the show spot.
Joe Ratchford and Willie Wychopen co-own the sophomore Mystician daughter as she moved her seasonal and career record to 5-6-2 in 16 starts with $77,813 earned. She paid $3.20 to win.
Rod Hennessy earned his training hat trick after Byby Baby Byby won the freshman filly division In 1:54.3.
Byby Baby Byby and Mike Hennessy got away third along the pylons through panels in :26.4 and :55. As the outer flow stalled, Byby Baby Byby continued in second through the three-quarters in 1:25.1 and into the final turn. At the top of the stretch, Byby Baby Byby grew confident in her advances, taking command and soaring to a 4-1/2 length achievement in 1:54.3. Favoured pace-setting Outlawguns N Roses (Kelly) took second while Caughtstealinghome (Jamie Gray) rounded out the triactor.
Diane Hennessy and Bryan Brook bred and co-own the Vertical Horizon filly as she moved her record to 4-1-1 in seven starts with $79,625 earned. She returned $6.10 to her backers.
Shark Week Headlines Preferreds With Extended Streak
Post six was no obstacle for Shark Week as the Mike Hennessy pupil earned his 13th victory in a row and 18th win in 22 starts, making him the winningest horse in Canada this year.
In the $14,000 Preferred Pace, Shark Week rattled off panels in :26.4, :55.1, and 1:23.4 before going on to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2. Ernesto Delacruz (Gagne) finished second with Samba Beat (Philip Giesbrecht) third.
Lorne Duffield and Rod Hennessy co-own the five-year-old Vertical Horizon gelding as he earned his 38th career victory and moved his lifetime bankroll to $327,475. He paid $2.30 to win.
Daisy Corvette (M. Hennessy) had no easy feat in winning the $14,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred in upset fashion.
The Shanisty Andres trainee got away fifth through the first two panels in :27.2 and :56 before being shuffled back to seventh with the development of an outer flow at the three-quarters in 1:25.2. M. Hennessy pulled wide to overtake the leading horses and go on to win by two lengths in 1:53.4. Past Affair (David Kelly) was second and Stash The Cookies (McNair) rounded out the triactor.
Tammy Murschell owns the four-year-old Mystician mare as she earned her fourth victory in a row and tenth career tally. She paid $16.60 to win from 7-1 odds.
Consolation Paces Open Up The Saturday Evening Card
Four $15,000 Consolation races for the ABSS Super Finals opened up the extensive 13-race card with a division each for the respective age group and gender.
Rememberingthecustard ($3.30) took the freshman male consolation from gate-to-wire by 2-1/2 lengths in 2:00.2 with Mike Hennessy in the bike for Rod Hennessy.
In the freshman filly split, Deo Doro ($8.80) sat second through the opening panel before taking command and going on to win by one length in 1:58.3 with McNair in the bike. Hoerdt trains the winner as well as the second and third place finishers.
The three-year-old division for colts and geldings was won after a fierce battle by One Major Hottie ($12.80) in 1:57 by a neck with Giesbrecht providing the winning drive for Gerry Hudon.
Cora Cora Cora ($2.70) rallied from last to a six-length victory in 1:55.2 in the final consolation for sophomore fillies. McNair held the lines for Jamie Gray.
Tyler Redwood drove the second place finisher, Tina La Vida, in the fourth race consolation after making his return to the sulky since an injury occurred in the Aug. 5 accident at Century Downs.
Jamie Gray Achieves Career Milestone
After winning the consolation in race four and solidifying the status with the Super Final victory, trainer Jamie Gray crested $10 million in career earnings. The Alberta resident is a winner of 1,672 races.
Drivers McNair; M. Hennessy Dominate The Evening Card
With victories in the consolations with Deo Doro and Cora Cora Cora as well as the ABSS Super Finals with Come On Santana, You Promyst, and Mickie Mantle, Doug McNair earned a win tally of five overall on Saturday.
Mike Hennessy shared in the driving wealth on the evening card and won six races including with the streaking Shark Week, Rememberthecustard in the consolation, Keystone Tenacious ($25.50) in the claiming pace, Daisy Corvette in the distaff preferred, Byby Baby Byby in the ABSS Super Final, and Captain Fireball ($8.60) in the nightcap.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Mile.