Blue Star Mercury (Mystician), a week after beating Alberta harness racing superstar Virtual Horizon in the eliminations, did so again in capturing the $110,710 Western Canada Pacing Derby on Saturday (Oct. 21) at Century Mile.

Blue Star Mercury marched forward from the pylon post with Michael Hennessy at the lines and converted it to an early lead. The gelding traveled through the first-half splits in :27.4 and :56.2 before Matts Gem (Jody Jamieson) launched a first-over challenge in the third quarter.

Matts Gem reached the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:26.1 but  was unable to advance further, and Blue Star Mercury strode out to a three-length cushion in mid-stretch. Over The Horizon (Nathan Sobey) came on late, cutting the gap down to a length-and-a-half, but Blue Star Mercury was home a winner in 1:52.3 with Hennessy’s whip raised in triumph.

Over The Horizon finished second. Virtual Horizon (Brandon Campbell), who was last at the half, closed for third.

BLUE STAR MERCURY REPLAY

Blue Star Mercury increased his career tally to four with his elimination and final wins. The prior victory came as a 32-1 upset as he ended Virtual Horizon’s 13-race winning streak; on Saturday, Blue Star Mercury was 2-1. He also lowered his lifetime mark and reached the six-digit earnings milestone as he captured the final. Rodney Hennessy trains Blue Star Mercury, who now has $106,517 in the bank in 19 starts, for Lorne Duffield of Edmonton and Jean Crochetiere of Beaumont.

Side Piece (Shadow Play, Brandon Campbell) also led all the way as she took the sister stake, the $134,300 Century Casino Filly Pace in a four-and-a-half-length jog.

She set fractional times of :27.1, :56.4, and 1:25.3 while in command, repelling the first-up Moonstruck (Kelly Hoerdt) on the final turn. Side Piece, after putting her away, hustled to the finish and scored in 1:53.1. Iris Seelster (Sobey) rallied from seventh at three-quarters to get up for second. Moonstruck held onto third.

SIDE PIECE REPLAY

Side Piece has now won four races in a row and is seven-for-eight this season. The filly has earned $229,692 lifetime and built her record to 11-for-14 for owners J J J Stables of Prince George and Jim Marino of Surrey. Campbell trains the homebred filly.

The Rocky Mountain Boys and Brad Gunn stakes, for two-year-old males and fillies, respectively, were also contested on the card.

The second division of the Rocky Mountain Boys saw a major upset as Matteuse (Custard The Dragon, Sobey) sprung from the pocket and caught Grey Horizon (Campbell), the 1/9 favourite. Grey Horizon led the way through :28.1, :57.3, and 1:26.1 fractions, but Matteuse tracked him down and got a neck in front in the final strides to win in 1:53.2. It was Matteuse’s second career win and the colt’s second straight after he won a division of the Alberta Sires Stakes Rising Star a week prior. Sobey trains the colt, who has earned $31,117 in six starts, and co-owns him with Robert Jones of Stony Plain and Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy of Lake Country.

MATTEUSE REPLAY

Come On Santana (Santanna Blue Chip) jogged in the first division as expected and gave Woodbine Mohawk Park regular Jody Jamieson his second win on the card. He got every call and flew down the stretch, opening up nine lengths on his rivals in a 1:56 romp. Big N Shiny (Phil Giesbrecht) was second-best and Sharkasaurus (Michael Hennessy) was promoted to third as Hf Winknat Jenna (David Kelly) was disqualified from that spot for a pylon violation. Come On Santana won the Century Casino Pace earlier in the season and is now four-for-seven with earnings of $77,250. Trainer Jamie Gray bred the gelding and shares ownership with Max Gibb of Millarville and Riley and Brie Gray of Sturgeon County.

COME ON SANTANA REPLAY

Born A Spy (Smart Shark, Giesbrecht) improved her record to four-for-six and went back-to-back in stakes company as she won the first Brad Gunn division. The filly popped the pocket to take over in the second quarter and separated from the field in the stretch, soaring clear by seven-and-a-half lengths as she completed the mile in 1:55.4. Caughtstealinghome (Jamieson) was second with two-and-a-quarter lengths to spare over Y V Larceny (Sobey). Born A Spy won her division of the Alberta Sires Stakes Stardust last week in her second try for trainer John Chappell and owner Donna Wyse of Rocky View County. The filly has now earned $36,802.

BORN A SPY REPLAY

In the final division, Outlawguns N Roses (Captive Audience, Kelly) prevented collared Byby Baby Byby (Michael Hennessy) from the pocket to prevent her from a third straight stakes win. The former ignited in the last eighth of a mile and rolled past Byby Baby Byby to win by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:54. Foothills Magic (Jamieson) followed in third. It was the fourth win as a rookie for Outlawguns N Roses and the second in a stakes event. The Rodney Starkewski-trained filly captured the ASHA Filly Pace on Aug. 20 and has now raked in $76,790 in eight starts. Starkewski co-owns her with Clauzette Byckal of Onoway.

OUTLAWGUNS N ROSES REPLAY

Century Mile will see action next on Friday, Oct. 27.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink