Dontpokethedragon stars in Century stakes

Dontpokethedragon captured the spotlight in a stakes-filled Century Downs harness racing card on Tuesday with a second win by double-digit lengths in as many weeks.

The four-year-old Custard The Dragon gelding set out for the lead in the first $12,500 division of the Ed Tracy Memorial Pace, a stake for four-year-old colts and geldings, from post four for Brandon Campbell. He out-left two others and secured front-end control going into the first turn. Dontpokethedragon paced the first quarter mile in :27.2 and half in :56.1 before exploding away from his five foes as they approached three-quarters.

He rolled past that marker in 1:23.4 and Campbell only needed to sit back and watch as Dontpokethedragon roared home to complete a ten-and-three-quarter-length 1:52 romp. Leisure Suit Larry (Philip Giesbrecht) nosed out Watch Me Disappear (Jamie Gray) for place. The betting public foresaw the horse’s dominance as he paid $2.20.

DONTPOKETHEDRAGON REPLAY

Dontpokethedragon was three-fifths of a second off the track record in the win, his 10th lifetime. He’s now made $110,456 in 34 starts. Paul Sanders of Surrey, J J J Stables of Prince George, and Jim Marino of Surrey all own and employ Michael Campbell to train.

Tropical Dragon made it a sweep for mystical creature-named equines as he broke his maiden in a first-over second division triumph.

Colin Kelly started from the rail and slotted the gelding into fifth early, which became fourth when Luckenbeach (Gray) made a prompt break. Tropical Dragon remained inactive on the pylons through a quarter mile in :27.4 and half in :57.4 before slingshotting first-over. He fought his way to the leader’s harness as they entered the turn and drew level just past three-quarter in 1:26.3.

Wink N Win (Campbell) edged away from the challenger turning for the stretch and entered it with a length and a half advantage, but Tropical Dragon refused to lose and rolled past Wink N Win in the final 1/16th to score a first lifetime win on season’s debut. Wink N Win ended up a length and a half short but was well clear in second; Munchie Chris (Kelly Hoerdt) was behind by 14 lengths in third.

TROPICAL DRAGON REPLAY

Tropical Dragon, another son of Custard The Dragon, got off the schneid in his 19th lifetime start. His earnings now total $10,152. David Kelly of Strathmore conditions the horse and co-owns with Mike Dicks of Parkland County.

Miss Itunes brushed to the front in the opening $12,500 division of Bev Sears Memorial Pace for four-year-old mares and held off late pressure to remain undefeated on the year.

Tyler Redwood declined to contest the lead as the gate left and dropped Miss Itunes back to fifth from post six. He waited only until the field of six passed the quarter in :29.1 to make a forward move with the mare, urging her to the front and claiming the top spot as they passed the half in :58.2.

Miss Itunes’ foes didn’t allow her a third-quarter breather – they reached that point in 1:26.2 – and Annasfeatherfoot went after the leader entering the stretch. Annasfeatherfoot gained throughout, but Miss Itunes proved tenacious as she held off her foe by a nose to score in 1:56. Annasfeatherfoot finished second, and Chasing Shadows (Logan Gillis) took show.

MISS ITUNES REPLAY

Miss Itunes, a daughter of Mystery Chase, now has 10 wins and $127,202 in earnings over a 28-race career. Her 2020 record is two-for-two. David Lamont of Rocky View County trains and co-owns with Donna Wyse, a resident of the same city.

Moosette closed out the stakes action with a brush-and-crush of her own in the second division of the Bev Sears.

Brandon Campbell backed her off from the start as they left from the four-hole and held position through the quarter in :28.1 and most of the second panel, which was finished in :58.3. Moosette cruised to the head of the six-horse group despite heavy urging from Kelly aboard leader Past Affair. Moosette paced three-quarters in 1:27.3 facing pressure from L A Woman (Giesbrecht), who was first over.

MOOSETTE REPLAY

Moosette dealt with that challenger in the stretch and kept all others behind as she won by a length in 1:55.4. Shale Stable of Merritt bred and owns the Hes Watching mare that has won five of 18 career attempts and raked in $43,099. Michael Campbell oversees the horse.

Redwood and Brandon Campbell both recorded a triple on the eight-race afternoon.

Century Downs will be back on Sunday, Jun. 6 at 2:15 p.m. MDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink