Century Mile: Two six-figure stakes races featured on Sunday

Two C$125,000 stakes events, the Western Canada Pacing Derby for 3-year-old colts and geldings and the Don Byrne Memorial for sophomore pacing fillies, occurred on Sunday afternoon at Century Mile, which is located just south of Edmonton, Alberta.

In the Western Canada Pacing Derby, Kneedeep N Custard (Jody Jamieson) left hard, then yielded to favored Outlawgrabbingears (Paul Davies) passing the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Outlawgrabbingears continued to show the way at the 55 2/5 half and the 1:23 three-quarters, but Jamieson angled his charge back to the outside coming off the far turn. Once he was fed the racetrack, Kneedeep N Custard blew right by Outlawgrabbingears, then pulled away to win by two lengths in 1:51 2/5. Outlaw Gunsablazin (Jamie Gray) came on to get second, and Jewels Dragon (Serge Masse) rallied for third as Outlawgrabbingears faded to fourth.

A gelding by Custard The Dragon, Kneedeep N Custard is co-owned by trainer Kelly Hoerdt in partnership with Blair Corbeil and Fred Gilbert. Unraced as a 2-year-old, Kneedeep N Custard has nine wins from 17 tries this year, and he has earned C$122,002. He was sent off at 7-2 and paid $9.00 to win.

Public choice Rockin Mystery (Masse) crossed the finish line first in the Byrne Memorial and stopped the clock in 1:52 2/5 after fronting the field through stations of 27 1/5, 55 3/5, and 1:24, but after an inquiry it was determined that she had been in front of the starting gate at the beginning of the race, so she was placed last. That elevated Lady Neigh Neigh (Brandon Campbell), who rallied from fourth at three-quarters to finish second, beaten a length and a quarter by Rockin Mystery, to the victory. Flash A Smile (Hoerdt) was moved up from third to second, and Blackcheddar (Jamieson) was fourth-placed-third.

Trainer Chris Lancaster also co-owns Lady Neigh Neigh, a daughter of Bettor's Delight, with Christopher Lambie. This was her 12th career victory, and she has now put C$168,833 in the bank. Dispatched at 2-1, she returned $6.60 to win.