Wrangler Jewel goes seventh-to-first for $100,000 stakes win

Wrangler Jewel (Wrangler Betonme) made up eight lengths and six positions in the final eighth of a mile to upset at 12-1 in the $100,000 Shirley McClellan Breeders’ Stake Final at Century Downs on Saturday (May 28).

She sat seventh inside most of the way for harness racing driver Jean-Francois Gagne as odds-on favourite Chaste Forever (Kelly Hoerdt) cut :28, :57.1, and 1:25.3 splits. Gagne found a path to the outside on the far turn and fanned Wrangler Jewel five-wide as they straightened for home.

The filly soared past a crowed of horses to her inside and tracked down Chaste Forever in the final strides to score in a lifetime-best 1:56.4.

She beat Chaste Forever by three-quarters of a length. Divine Art (Nathan Sobey) was a further half-length back in third.

Marie Brooking trains Wrangler Jewel for Dr. Maurice Stewart of Leduc County. The filly is now two-for-four this year and has won three of 10 overall. The stakes win boosted her career earnings to $90,175.

The Shirley McClellan Breeders’ Stake was open to three-year-old Alberta-foaled pacing fillies.

Gagne then swept the day’s stakes with a four-length win behind Ernesto Delacruz (Vertical Horizon) in the $100,000 Moore’s Mile Breeders’ Stake for Alberta-foaled three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Gagne was flushed out first-over after getting away fifth in a :28.1 first quarter. Ernesto Delacruz advanced to fourth by the half in :57.4 and picked up cover from the pocket-popping Subzero (Scott Knight) on the backstretch.

Ernesto Delacruz went three-wide around Subzero as they entered the final turn and dug into leader Vegas Gambler (Michael Hennessy). The pair battled through three-quarters in 1:25.3, but Ernesto Delacruz pulled away in the stretch by four lengths for his third consecutive win.

Knockin Boots (Tyler Redwood) beat Vegas Gambler for place. The winner returned $7.90.

Gagne also trains Ernesto Delacruz, a colt he co-owns and co-bred with Peter Van Seggelen of Heritage Point. The colt has won four of his eight career starts and has earned $60,945.

The Alberta Diamond and Marksman are the next stakes for Alberta-foaled horses. The eliminations are set for Jul. 2 at Century Downs.

A Fillies and Mares Open highlights Century Downs’s next card, which is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, May 31.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink