Western Canada Pacing Derby champ wins again

Blue Star Mercury (Mystician), winner of the $110,710 Western Canada Pacing Derby in October, scored again in an overnight harness racing event at Century Mile on Nov. 25.

Michael Hennessy put the gelding on top throughout. He banged out the first half in splits of :27.3 and :56.2 and reached three-quarters in 1:25.2 as the first-up One Major Hottie (Phil Giesbrecht) reached his wheel disc.

Blue Star Mercury turned away that opponent in the stretch drive and got home with a length of margin over Thoughts Of A Fool (Jean-Francois Gagne) in 1:53.1.

The latter was two lengths clear of show finisher General Custard (David Kelly), who came from last.

BLUE STAR MERCURY

Blue Star Mercury debuted this season and is five-for-22 with $121,742 in earnings. His form began to improve towards the end of the year, and he ended the 13-race winning streak of Virtual Horizon in the Western Canada Pacing Derby elimination. Rodney Hennessy trains the sophomore for Lorne Duffield of Edmonton and Jean Crochetiere of Beaumont.

Kelly had a training hat trick on the night. He opened the card with Hennessy guiding his Panda Beer (Vertical Horizon) to victory in 1:56.2 at 22-1. Kelly’s other winners were Hf Thegreatpumpkin (Pang Shui, 1:55.2) and Show Stop (Captaintreacherous, 1:54).

Century Mile will resume racing on Friday, Dec. 1.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink