Driver and horse winless no more after $54,800 Marksman

Both Tzilacatzin (Captive Audience) and driver Chris Brown were winless on the year going into Saturday’s $54,800 Alberta Sires Stakes Marksman at Century Downs, but the pair erased their goose eggs with a perfect trip to spring a 26-1 harness racing upset.

Brown found the pocket with the gelding as One Hot Minute (Brandon Campbell) grabbed the front in a :28.2 opening panel. Favourite Come On Santana (Phil Giesbrecht) took on the leader with a gruelling first-over grind through the half in :57.3 and three-quarters in 1:25.2.

Come On Santana began to waver rounding the final turn and One Hot Minute sprung away from the field by three lengths coming into the stretch. Tzilacatzin proved to have even more pace from the pocket though, and rapidly approached the leader nearing the wire. One Hot Minute battled to the finish, but Tzilacatzin got up right on the line to win by a nose in 1:54.4.

One Hot Minute was a game second. Matteuse (Nathan Sobey) swung off second-over cover to take third.

TZILACATZIN REPLAY

Tzilacatzin, trained by Brown, struggled early in the season before her form began to trend upwards in recent weeks. She was third in three straight outings last month, including in the Marksman elimination, but finished seventh in her start prior to Saturday’s win. She is now two-for-15 lifetime with $42,435 in earnings for owner/breeder Jennifer Clark.

Going into the race, Brown was 0-for-43 in the bike and 0-for-30 as a trainer this year. He has driven 34 career winners in 734 starts since his debut in 2011. His training record is 46-for-743.

Icy Blue Scooter (Blue Burner, Nathan Sobey) engineered an upset of his own in the afternoon’s Preferred. From the lead, he battled off Whiplash Smile (Thomas Miller) through the quarter, Samba Beat (Giesbrecht) on the backstretch, and Bonus Round (Dave Kelly) in the sprint for home for a determined victory in 1:52.4. Bonus Round finished second over Samba Beat. The win price was $20.10.

ICY BLUE SCOOTER REPLAY

It was the winner’s first tally in nine outings this season, eight of which have come in the Preferred ranks. The Sobey-trained journeyman gelding has shipped around the continent in his career, but he has been a mainstay at the top overnight level since his first return to Western Canada in 2019. He has won 44 times in 217 appearances and has built his bankroll to $414,296. Sobey co-owns the 11-year-old with Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy.

Century Downs will continue racing on Friday, Jun. 7.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink