Alberta star breaks record in $30,000 Bev Sears Memorial

Graceful Horizon is back in a big way.

After four losses to begin her four-year-old campaign, the harness racing mare dominated her seven rivals and broke the track record for ages pacing mares in the $30,000 Bev Sears Memorial at Century Downs on Saturday (May 14).

The daughter of Vertical Horizon was on the front instantly and produced sizzling first quarter speed of :26.4. Driver Phil Giesbrecht gave her a breather with a :55.2 half and put the pedal back down going to three-quarters in 1:23, when she began to leave pocket-sitter Century Mach (Kelly Hoerdt) behind.

Graceful Horizon widened her lead with every stride in the final quarter and chopped two fifths off the track record as she crossed the line in 1:52.1.

Senga Nightmare (Ryan Grundy) reached past Century Mach late for place. The winner returned $3.90.

Graceful Horizon went zero-for-four to begin 2022 after a monstrous three-year-old campaign in which she won her division’s Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final and the ABSS Marquis. After her third-place finish in the Penny Bath Memorial Final at Fraser Downs, she took two months off and returned to Alberta and trainer Christopher Lancaster. Derek Gilbert of Brandon, Velda Olding of Abbotsford, and Lancaster co-own Graceful Horizon, who has now won 13 times and amassed $172,676 in 24 starts. She lowered the 1:52.3 record for aged pacing mares set by Glimpseofgoodness in 2021.

The Bev Sears Memorial was open to four-year-old Alberta-sired pacing fillies.

Giesbrecht swept the card’s stakes as he drove Samba Beat, another 2021 Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final winner, to victory in the $30,000 Ed Tracey Memorial for four-year-old Alberta-sired pacing colts and geldings two races later.

The reinsman employed identical tactics to his previous win, sending Samba Beat marching from the off to take command quickly. The son of Santanna Blue Chip saw no challengers as he laid down :28.2, :57.4, and 1:24.4 splits as he rolled to a three-and-three-quarter length romp in 1:52.

2021 Robert Murphy Memorial champ Codename Cigar Box (Hoerdt) was second in an admirable first-up effort. Shark Week (Michael Hennessy) finished third. The win price was $6.90.

Samba Beat’s win was his 10th lifetime in 25 tries. He has made $80,866 for owners Gerry Hudon, who trains him, Monica Hudon of Sturgeon County, and William Andrew of Calgary. The stallion has started the season hot with four wins in seven outings.

Giesbrecht’s three trips to the winner’s circle was the day’s best among drivers.

Racing returns to Century Downs on Tuesday, May 17 at 2:15 p.m. MDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink