Horseman Kelly Hoerdt showcased exceptional skill on Saturday, November 23, at Century Mile, achieving five victories, including a stunning performance with three-year-old pacing gelding Believe It Sea It. The horse, trailing by 16 lengths at the halfway mark and still 12 lengths behind with a quarter-mile remaining, made a remarkable surge in the stretch, clocking a :28.2 final frame to secure a two-length victory. The win in the $8,700 seventh race came in 1:57 flat, the evening's fastest time on a snowy Edmonton night with temperatures at -12°C. Hoerdt trains, drives, and co-owns the gelding with Blair Corbeil and Carole Dunbar.
Believe It Sea It delivered the most lucrative payout among Hoerdt's five triumphs, returning $16 for the win. His other wins included three-year-old filly Born A Spy ($13.50) and gelding Rum N Custard ($3.10), completing a training triple. Hoerdt, consistently training over 100 winners annually for eight seasons, currently ranks among Canada’s top five trainers with 106 wins in 2024.
The seasoned horseman, with 132 driving wins this year, also claimed victories with three-year-old filly Baby Limbo ($5.40), trained by Mathew Howlett, and five-year-old pacer Redstone Arsenal ($2.70), trained by Chris Lancaster. Hoerdt’s ability to guide horses to success, whether from off the pace or with persistent performances, reaffirms his status as a top-tier competitor in Canadian harness racing.