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The OBJECT of the Society shall be to encourage and ensure co-operative effort in all matters pertaining to the production and improvement of the Standardbred Horse in the Province of Alberta, and to co-operate with the Associations and Societies of other Provinces in the Dominion of Canada and States of the United States of America/or other Associations in other Countries..

The Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA) was formed to represent and protect the best interests of Standardbred industry participants and bring about a closer, more understanding relationship among members, racetracks, racing associations, governing bodies and the public.

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The Masked Handicapper
Don Byrne Memorial and Western Canada Pacing Derby

The most exciting race card this season of the Century Mile meet, tonight has some big money to be given away in the two stakes finals. The Don Byrne Memorial final goes to post with 9 three-year-old fillies racing for just over $88,000.00 in the 7th Race. In the 9th race, 9 three-year-old colts and geldings will head to the gate to race for almost $93,000.00 in the 2020 edition of the Western Canada Pacing Derby. Both look like competitive battles, so the Masked Handicapper will break down both races!

Don Byrne Memorial Final

Custards Crown – A three-year-old filly by Custard the Dragon. She has had a bit of a streaky season but if coming into the Byrne final on a high note. She was a winner of her elimination last week with a come from off the pace effort. Drawing the rail and with the probable favourite drawing just to her outside, I expect her to be a little closer to the front this week. Top three potential
Probert – This filly by Dali comes into this stakes final on a 6 race win streak. She spent the summer trying her luck in Ontario with little success but arrived back in BC in time for the Mary Murphy Stakes series. She swept the series eliminations and final and then made the trip across the mountains. Last weekend she won her elimination at Century Mile in a fast time and is the most likely betting favourite in this Byrne Final
Deja Vroom – This Blue Burner filly has been a bit of a fringe player in the three-year-old filly stakes in 2020. Her best finish so far is a second in the three-year-old consolation but before that she only had some minor placings. She does have 4 wins in 2020 and her off the pace racing style might suit the mile track over the 11/16th’s surface at Century Downs. Outside chance at a minor share
Treasure Horizon – A Vertical Horizon filly that has had a really up and down season. She started off the season after the Covid break with two wins and a second out of her first three starts and looked to be one of the fillies to beat in this class. She then had some manners problems making some breaks. She raced the best she has in quite a while in her Byrne elimination, but I have to rate her a slight outsider.
Past Affair – This daughter of Vertical Horizon has had two different profiles inside this 2020 season. She started off in a major funk and not able to beat the $7500 claimers but in early September she was sold to the Dave Kelly stable and things completely changed. She has won three times including the Alberta Marquis and the Three-Year-old Filly Super Final. She was second in her elimination last week and looks like a top three player in this final.
L A Woman – A filly by Trust the Artist who has struggled in her three-year-old campaign after having good success at two. She has been able to qualify for a few stakes finals in 2020, but struggled once she got there. She has yet to see the winner’s circle this year but has had 6 on the board finishes. She got a nice steer and stayed along the inside to get qualified for this final, but needs a lot of luck to get a good finish in here
Snow Shark – Another Custard the Dragon filly who I will comment similarly to the one inside of her. She had a really nice first year, banking $80k and winning the two year old filly Super Final. Her 2020 season has not been as strong banking $27k and no stakes final wins. She seemed to be breaking out of her funk in her last couple starts but raced flat in her Byrne Elimination and had to win a draw out of the two 5th place finishers to qualify. Drawing a tough post, I can’t put her into my selections.
Century Gianna – This filly is a daughter of Bettors Delight and was racing based out of Ontario up until early August. She was purchased privately by the Kelly Hoerdt Stable and has had high and low moments since moving west. She has won 3 races since arriving but struggled in the Rumpel final. She was an evenly driven third in her elimination but draws the tough 8 hole. Another one I can’t include in my top 4.
Miss Itunes – A daughter of Mystery Chase who has banked $74k this season and early in the year looked almost unbeatable. She won the first stakes final of the season and has a move for 3/8’s of a mile that is more than impressive. She hasn’t been as sharp the past couple months, but still managed top 3 finishes almost every week. In her elimination last week, she sat in the two hole behind Probert and raced well to finish second and qualify nicely. She will be in my top 4 selections

Here are my selections and I am calling for an upset:
Selections 5-1-2-9

Western Canada Pacing Derby

West Coast Beach – This son of Sunshine Beach raced a lot of the summer out in Ontario before returning to BC to race in the Robert Murphy stakes series. He had some mild success in the series winning one leg and finishing 4th in the Final. He has banked 54k this year and has shown high speed. Purchased in November by the Kelly Hoerdt Stable, this gelding was given a nice trip in his WCPD elimination and paced the stretch well for the win. Drawing the rail, he is a top competitor in this dash
Make Some Waves – A second son of Sunshine Beach in this three-year-old colts and geldings final. His has started off with a 4-race win streak and then really struggled to at Century Downs so was given some time off. After qualifying back, he has raced well and lit up the tote board winning his elimination at just under 80-1 in his WCPD elimination. He draws a good post and if he can repeat his 26.4 second final quarter from last week, he has a punchers chance again at a big cheque. Possible
Outlaw C My Shadow – This son of Shadow Play has also had an up and down season. After a good two-year-old year, he qualified at Century Downs and won but then took 10 more races before seeing the winner’s circle again. His season really seemed to change when he went west for the Robert Murphy Series where he won two legs and finished second in the final. He struggled with the long Century Downs stretch in his elimination and finished 4th but has a licence to improve in the final.
Chazmichaelmichael – This son of Custard the Dragon didn’t race at 2 but started off his racing career with three straight wins in conditioned company and winning a stakes elimination. He has not seen the winner’s circle since but had 7 combined second and third place finishes. He raced well to be second in his elimination of the WCPD but has struggled in finals, so I am only going to rate him for a minor share.
Major Custard – Also a son of Custard the Dragon, his 17-race win streak dating back into his two-year season was finally broken last weekend. It is tough to feel really sorry for him as he has already banked $180k this season, but it was a big surprise especially to the betting public that sent him off at 1/9. He will try to rebound from that defeat in the WCPD and has drawn a decent post. Still will be a big betting board favourite.
Strateontilmorning – This son of The Panderosa has been raced very lightly in 2020 only making 10 starts. He has had success in that he has finished in the top three in 8 of 10 starts but has only managed one win. He drew a tough post in his elimination, but with a patient drive he came from the back with a 27.4 final quarter to finish third. He draws an iffy post again so will probably try the same strategy and could manage a similar result.
Ragged But Right – This son of Wink N Atcha on paper looks like a bit of an outsider. He broke his maiden in his second start of 2020, but in stakes races he has struggled to make a mark in the finals. He has banked over $26k this season but has raced recently at lower levels. He raced evenly in his elimination and was the winner of the 5th place horse draw to qualify. From a tough post I have to pass today.
Fully Covered – This son of Vertical Horizon is another who has had a remarkable turnaround since a private purchase by the Marie Brooking Stable in early September. Three wins and a second enticed the owner to supplement this horse to race in the WCPD and she was rewarded with a 4th place finish and a spot in the final. The 8 hole makes things tough, will hope for the outside flow to be live and to earn a piece of the $92k final
Criminal Record – A son of Mystery Chase, this colt has been a consistent on the board finisher. This consistency has resulted in only 3 wins, but he has banked over $55k in 2020. He was second in the Ralph Klein final this summer but struggled in the recent Super Final. Coming from the back in his WCPD elimination, he followed cover and was about to finish second. The 9 hole won’t hurt him as he races better from off the pace so he will hope to find some live flow again

My selections in this WCPD Final are a little more chalky:
Selections 5-1-2-3

This Homebred's Making Some Waves

Cliff & Kathy Coonfer were more than thrilled when Make Some Waves captured one of the Western Canada Pacing Derby elims on Sunday (Nov. 22) at Century Mile. And while it was exciting for them to defeat the seasonally-unbeaten Major Custard, the Coonfers were just as pleased to see their homebred colt perform so impressively after returning from injury....read on

Courtesy Standardbred Canada

2020 Western Canada Pacing Derby & Don Byrne Memorial Promo

This Sunday, two of the bigger Stakes races on the Alberta Standardbred calendar. It's the Western Canada Pacing Derby and the Don Byrne Memorial! Sunday, November 29th from Century Mile in Edmonton.

Elimination race winners set stage
for Western Canada Pacing Derby final

What the hell just happened? Major Custard had won 17 races in a row. He was 13 for 13 this year including six stakes finals. And he lost Sunday’s first elimination of the Western Canada Pacing Derby at Century Mile. At odds of 1-9 with the winner, Make Some Waves, paying $161.80 to win. Go figure.

“He clearly wasn’t right. But we haven’t... read more

Courtesy of Horse Racing Alberta, C Stock

Even The Great Ones Get Beat

“They’re animals not machines; people forget that. They all get beat sooner or later. Even Somebeachsomewhere lost.”...read on

Courtesy Standardbred Canada

Last Call to Register

Last call to grooms and trainers!

Online course starts next Monday. Never taken an online course before? No worries! This course takes a common sense, practical and flexible approach to training – no prior online learning experience required.

*** SPECIAL 15% DISCOUNT FOR HRA MEMBERS ***

Make Some Waves Upsets Major Custard

Trainer-driver Dave Kelly made some waves in the first of two $9,000 eliminations for the Western Canada Pacing Derby when his Sunshine Beach gelding Make Some Waves lighted the tote board in toppling Alberta sensation Major Custard on Sunday (Nov. 22) at Century Mile....read on

Courtesy Standardbred Canada

Major Custard Among Alberta's Greats

“He’s got speed, toughness, grit and he’s calm when he needs to be. A lot of good horses might have two or three of those qualities. He’s got all four.”...read on

Courtesy Standardbred Canada

Major Custard Comes With His Own Winner’s Circle

Set to compete in Saturday’s elimination legs of the Western Canada Pacing Derby at Century Mile, Major Custard is that dominant — his statistics simply staggering.
Consider: Major Custard has won 17 races in a row. He’s 13 for 13 this year including six stakes finals. He won the $30,400 Plainsman in late July; took the $30,200 Marksman in mid August by eight and a quarter lengths; captured the Ralph Klein in late August; the $29,000 Maverick in early October, the $50,000 Super Series on Oct. 17 when he opened a seven-length lead in the snap of a finger before cruising home by three and three-quarter lengths and swept the Robert Murphy including the...read on

Courtesy Curtis Stock, thehorses.com

FREE VACCINES

Please read and send Colleen your horse names via email, or in person, as soon as possible, if you wish to participate. Vaccinations are available on a first come first serve basis and they will start with yearlings stabled at the race track.

Help Support HHYF!

Have horse-loving kids on your holiday gift giving list? Then we hope you consider supporting the Harness Horse Youth Foundation by ordering our Holiday Activity Boxes! Designed with the intent of combining fun and light learning, the box contents are suitable for ages 10 and up.

Activities included are how to decorate a Ginger’bred’ Standard’bred' (with craft items), instructions to make a horseshoe frame (with horseshoe and craft items), information on winter training, ice racing and horse birthdays, word search and jumble, recipe for peppermint horse treats, and brief summary on how to write holiday thank you notes (with notecard). Plus as an added bonus, each box will contain a complete set of 2020 HARNESS HEROES trading cards!

Click here to try out a sample crossword puzzle!

ORDER ACTIVITY BOXES

ORDER HARNESS HEROES CARDS

HHYF programs would not be possible without the support of our 2020 sponsors: Diamond Creek Farm, Lindy Farms, Meadows Standardbred Association, PA Harness Horsemen’s Association, Standardbred Breeders of PA, US Harness Writers Association, US Trotting Association, IN Standardbred Association, Blue Chip Farms, Brittany Farms, Fair Island Farm, Fair Winds Farm, Pinske Stables, Purple Haze Stable, Southern Oaks Training Center, VA Harness Horse Association, Joe Asher, Chris McErlean, Howard and Marlene Taylor.

Harness Horse Youth Foundation
2711 Friar Tuck Road | Anderson, IN 46013
P. 317.908.0029

NOW ACCEPTING STALLION REGISTRATIONS
for ALBERTA SIRE STAKE #43

DEADLINE is DECEMBER 31, 2020.
FEE is $250
More information contained on the application:

ALBERTA SIRE STAKES #43 STALLION REGISTRATION APPLICATION PAGE 1

ALBERTA SIRE STAKES #43 STALLION REGISTRATION APPLICATION PAGE 2

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Alberta Challenge of Champions ABSS SUPER FINALS

HRA HOURS of OPERATION at CENTURY DOWNS RACETRACK

Starting August 1, 2020, through to September 30, 2020

Tues - Thurs - Fri - Sat
8:30 am to 2:00 pm

For a list of OTB's in Southern Alberta, click this link ...HERE

The OFFICIAL Stakes Schedule and Calendar

Below are the OFFICIAL Stakes Schedule and Calendar respectively.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE SCHEDULE COULD CHANGE DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF ASHA

2020 Race Calendar -
Revised September 17th

2020 Stakes Schedule

Revised September 17, 2020

ASHA ACCEPTS
E-TRANSFERS

The ASHA accepts payments by
e-transfer through your online banking.

You can pay your:

ASHA membership,
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Yearling Sale Payments

This is not to be confused with stakes payments to Standardbred Canada, Horse Racing Alberta, or to Colleen Haining at the racetracks/book keepers office.

Please call the ASHA office before you make a payment to assure it's a payment we can take.
We will advise at that time what the e-mail is to send the payment to.

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HRA CONTACT #'s/RENEWALs

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HRA RENEWAL FORM (Click to open)

PO BOX 1376,
Nisku AB
T9E 7M0

CENTURY MILE: PH. (587) 416-5455 FAX: (587) 416-5460
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All information can be located here:
https://thehorses.com/regulatory/license-application-forms

Fall Courses on The Horse Portal!

www.TheHorsePortal.ca/HRA

FALL IS FOR LEARNING! -Try out an online short course

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Stay current with short, practical online training – in partnership with Equine Guelph.