The sophomore Vertical Horizon colt Virtual Horizon stayed unbeaten from seven starts through 2023 with a 1:53.2 victory in the $90,000 Moore’s Mile Breeders’ Stakes at Century Downs on Saturday (June 24).
Sent off as the odds-on choice, Virtual Horizon floated from post seven to sit fourth through a :26.2 first quarter set by pylon-starter Handsome Dan. Trainer-driver Brandon Campbell then angled Virtual Horizon off the pegs to a :56 half and blitzed the pacesetter up the backside. Handsome Dan could not bear the onslaught from the favourite and dropped back after three-quarters in 1:23.4 to leave Virtual Horizon on an expanding lead through the final turn. Virtual Horizon then coasted in on a diminishing lead with General Custard closing to take second, beaten 1-1/4 lengths, while Handsome Dan held third and Over The Horizon rallied for fourth.
Virtual Horizon races for owners Jodi Loftus, George Rogers and Raymond Henry. He has now won 10 races from 14 starts and has now earned $189,188. He paid $3.70 to win.
The co-featured $90,000 Shirley McClellan Breeders’ Stakes also went to the betting favourite – G Ts Skyla, who ground uncovered to a 1:54.3 victory.
Driver Logan Gillis got away fifth from the second-tier starting spot with G Ts Skyla while Caviar N Crackers cut a :28.2 first quarter and then a :58 half. Gillis got underway with G Ts Skyla moving for the second turn and ranged to match strides with Caviar N Crackers to three-quarters in 1:25.2. Caviar N Crackers, saving ground at the inside, regained a two-length lead spinning for home, but G Ts Skyla straightened and powered past to post a length victory with Cora Cora Cora left seven lengths back in third. Promise Kept took fourth.
Scott McGinn trains and co-owns G Ts Skyla, a sophomore filly by Mystician, with partners Gerald McGinn, Marjorie McGinn and Terry McGinn. She won her fifth race from eight starts and has now earned $126,675. She paid $5.50 to win.
Grey Sea grabbed the undercard feature, a $14,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace. The four-year-old Custard The Dragon mare sat pocket to favourite Stash The Cookies after a :27.1 first quarter and drafted through middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.3. Grey Sea then pounced and landed a half-length upset at 15-1 in 1:53. Nate Sobey trains the Seaspray Stables Ltd. homebred, who has won 11 races from 16 starts and has now earned $65,430. Mike Hennessy drove the $33 winner as one of his five victories on the card.
Hennessy also won with Maching Millions (1:56 winning mile; $4.70 to win), Texasdrifter (1:56; $2.30), Katie Lou (1:56; $4.10) and Chocolate Terror (1:55.2; $2.40).
To view Saturday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Century Downs.