First winner for freshman sire in $50,000 Kennedy Memorial

Nathan Sobey’s Ima Rum Runner became sire Captain Deo’s first offspring winner as he captured the $50,000 Norm Kennedy Memorial for harness racing two-year-old colts and geldings on Saturday (Jul. 20) at Century Downs.

The gelding moved out of third for Sobey approaching the final turn and applied the blowtorch to leader Momas Work Of Art (Serge Masse) as they raced to three-quarters. The latter held out into deep-stretch, but Ima Rum Runner eclipsed him in the final strides to take the 1:56.3 victory. Dont Shoot Luke (Mike Hennessy) finished third.

IMA RUM RUNNER REPLAY

Ima Rum Runner, trained by Sobey for owner/breeders Keith Clark and Robert Jones, was third in his debut on Jul. 13 and is one-for-two. He is the first winner from the first crop of Captain Deo, who retired to stud in Alberta in 2022. The gelding is a half-brother to Rum N Custard, who has placed in two stakes events this year, and Dontpokethedragon, an Alberta Sires Stakes champion with more than $450,000 in career earnings.

The card also featured two $25,000 divisions of the Emerald Filly Pace for two-year-old female pacers.

Custard Dolce (Custard The Dragon, Jamie Gray) snagged the first division to break her maiden in a similar trip to Ima Rum Runner. Gray activated the filly from third coming down the backstretch, and Custard Dolce grinded down Imashipwreck (Brandon Campbell) to a half-length score in 1:58.1. Phone The Cops (Serge Masse) passed two rivals in the final quarter for third.

CUSTARD DOLCE REPLAY

Custard Dolce has now earned $13,004 in two starts. She closed for fourth in her first start on Jul. 12. Gray trains, drives, bred, and co-owns the filly with Jackson Wittup, Max Gibb, and Derek Wilson.

The second division went to Hot Shot Shark (Smart Shark), who stayed perfect in her second career start. Logan Gillis manned the lines in a front-end performance, with the filly holding on by a neck in 1:57.4 over the closing Blowing In the Wind (Campbell). Eyes Up Here (Dave Kelly) completed the triactor.

HOT SHOT SHARK REPLAY

Hot Shot Shark went even faster in her debut, a 1:57 win. Rodney Starkewski trains the filly he owns and bred. The two-year-old is a half sister of Alberta Sires Stakes champion Burning Hot and 2019 Norm Kennedy Memorial winner Crackle N Burn.

Shark Week (Vertical Horizon) appears to be resuming business as usual off his three-month layoff as he won his second straight in the Preferred. The gelding, known for his 17-race winning streak from 2023-2024, took control on the first turn and went all the way from there in 1:51 on Saturday with Hennessy in the bike.

SHARK WEEK REPLAY

The six-year-old became the first horse to break 1:50 in Western Canada and took the all-age records at both Century tracks last season. He was off three months after his streak ended in April but resumed with a resounding victory last week. He has now won 44 of 79 career races and has earned $370,225 for owners Lorne Duffield and Rodney Hennessy, who trains the gelding.

The next card at Century Downs is slated for Friday, Jul. 26.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink