Stakes finals action returns to Edmonton with $268,000 card

Century Mile will be the focus for Canadian harness racing once again as the track hosts the $112,910 Century Casino Filly Pace and the $93,310 Western Canada Pacing Derby.

Saturday’s complete card will feature ten races and will have over $268,000 up for grabs in the purse money.

Century Casino Filly Pace (Race 7)

Nine fillies are set to go to battle and will fight over the $112,910 in the purse. The huge favourite heading into this race is Divine Art (Outrageous Art). She has won 11 consecutive races and will be looking to continue her dominance on Saturday. In her 15 starts in 2022, she has won 12 times and only finished outside the top three once which was a fourth-place finish back in May. Not only has she been winning but she has been winning some of the biggest races in western Canada.

Divine Art won the ABSS Super Finals and ABSS Marquis Final for three-year-old fillies. She also earned a cheque for $45,960 when she won the Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial Stake earlier this year. If she can pull off a win on Saturday, there is not much left for her to accomplish in Alberta when it comes to racing but at this rate, she definitely is a horse to watch for anyone who has the chance. Divine Art’s trainer Nathan Sobey will be in charge of the driving duties when it’s post time.

Western Canada Pacing Derby (Race 9)

Ernesto Delacruz (Vertical Horizon) is one of the clear early favourites heading into this one. He won his elimination while pacing in the time of 1:53.1 which is a whole second faster than the time the other elimination went in. He too will be looking to add to his already impressive resume with a win. He won the ABSS Super Final for three-year-old colts and geldings in an impressive time of 1:52.4 which stands as his personal best. Ernesto Delacruz also won the ABSS Maverick Final.

Ernesto Delacruz’s biggest obstacle will be Joe Rich (Custard The Dragon) who was lucky enough to draw the inside post position. Joe Rich’s path to the Western Canada Pacing Derby has been a bit different as he’s been racing in British Columbia at Fraser Downs. He had much success in the early legs of the Robert Murphy Memorial by winning three of the four heats.

Joe Rich fell short in the Finals of the Robert Murphy Memorial series but came back with a big win in the Western Canada Pacing Derby elimination. As previously mentioned, he won his elimination in the time of 1:54.1 which is a whole second slower than Ernesto Delacruz’s time. It will be interesting to see if either elimination winner can hold off the rest of the field to claim the title.

Post time for Century Mile will be at 8:15 pm Eastern for both Friday and Saturday cards. The big races will take place on Saturday with the estimated post time at 10:27 pm for the Century Casino Filly Pace and 11:11 pm for the Western Canada Pacing Derby.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink