Shark Week on target in $45,100 Marksman Final

Shark Week led all the way to capture the $45,100 Alberta Marksman, the first major event for Alberta-sired sophomore colts of the harness racing season, on Sunday at Century Downs.

He started sharply for Michael Hennessy and asserted himself on top within seconds of the gate pulling away. The colt carved out :27.2, :57.1, and 1:25.1 fractions and kicked away on the home turn to make easy work of the race, winning in 1:53.1. Dragon Energy (David Kelly) was second by two and a half lengths. Codename Cigar Box (Kelly Hoerdt) finished third. The winner returned $4.30.

SHARK WEEK REPLAY

Shark Week, a son of Vertical Horizon, has won five of eight career starts and has earned $62,680. It was the first major stakes victory for the horse that finished third in his division’s Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final at two. Trainer Rodney Hennessey, a resident of Falun, co-owns with Lorne Duffield of Edmonton.

Century Downs also hosted the $45,100 Alberta Diamond, a stake for three-year-old Alberta-sired fillies. Exotic Dragon braved a first-over trip to win the contest and extend her winning streak to four.

Starting from post four, she stayed wide into the first turn as Graceful Horizon (Hoerdt) broke and regained stride to her inside. Nathan Sobey found Exotic Dragon a seat on the rail at the quarter in :28, but he quickly motioned the filly first-over, and she was third by the half in :57.3.

Leader Burning Hot (Paul Giesbrecht) resisted as Exotic Dragon knocked on the door going to three-quarters in 1:25, and the duo were level as they entered the stretch. Exotic Dragon proved better as she put Burning Hot behind her and paced home to take a fourth straight victory in 1:53.4. Burning Hot raised the white flag at the eighth pole but held second. Graceful Horizon rallied for third.

EXOTIC DRAGON

Exotic Dragon, a $3.20 winner, is now four-for-seven with $34,940 in career earnings. Sobey trains the daughter of Custard The Dragon for Robert Jones of Stony Plain.

The next Alberta Sires Stakes events – the Starlet for two-year-old fillies, Rising Star for two-year-old males, Marquis for three-year-old fillies, and Maverick for three-year-old males – are set for Sep. 12. The Starlet and Rising Star events are one-dash affairs worth $45,000 apiece. The Marquis and Maverick each have two legs.

The Super Finals are scheduled for Oct. 17.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink