An Okotoks chuckwagon driver’s chances of winning the Calgary Stampede’s Rangeland Derby may have toppled when he knocked over a pair of barrels on Sunday night.
Okotoks’ Mark Sutherland was hoping to move up the standings when he had the No. 1 barrel position Sunday, however, he knocked over both barrels and picked up 10 seconds in penalties for a time of 1:26.97.
He now has his work cut out for him as he tries to crack the top eight among the 36 drivers at the Calgary Stampede to qualify for the semifinals on July 14. He is 34th in the aggregate after three nights of racing.
“It’s like I’m down three games to nothing to the Kings in the Stanley Cup playoffs and I’m behind 2-1 in the second period,” Sutherland said. “I just didn’t do my job tonight and it couldn’t have been at a less opportune time.”
Sutherland had gone into Sunday night’s races in the middle of the pack in the aggregate after starting from the No. 3 and 4 barrels Friday and Saturday, respectively.
With the No. 1 barrel on Sunday night and being in the elite ninth heat with Jason Glass, Jerry Bremner and Luke Tournier, Sutherland anticipated he would move up in the standings.
“I totally expected to be climbing up to the top few,” Sutherland said. “I had a great team (of horses), this is one of the best. I had one horse rear just before the horn in anticipation. He’s a superstar and he wanted to go and he jerked my rein. They tried to turn early on the top barrel and I couldn’t hold them off. I just didn’t have it.”
Sutherland then hit the second barrel before grabbing the rail.
He sits just over 10 seconds behind the eighth-place driver, his father, Kelly Sutherland, for the final semifinal spot. However, there are also 25 drivers in between the father and son.
“I am going to go out there and make up the time,” Sutherland said. “I am behind the eight-ball, but I have no one to blame but me.”
Three-time world champion Jason Glass also finds himself having to make up ground in his efforts to win his first Calgary Stampede. The High River driver sits in 20th place in the aggregate after three nights in Calgary.
He also had trouble from the No. 1 barrel in Calgary — he knocked over the top barrel on Saturday night for a five-second penalty.
“I have been struggling for two or three years to have a good No. 1 barrel outfit together,” said Glass. “It’s always different and it’s always challenging. I am just not used to the same four horses on the one-barrel. One of these days I will find the ones I am comfortable with.”
Glass was able to turn things around by finishing fifth in the aggregate Sunday night, completing the 5/8 of mile track in 1:17.22 coming out off the No. 2 barrel.
He admitted he has some work in front of him if he wants to make Saturday’s semi-final.
“My horses have been running like the wind,” Glass said with his daughter Steele Iris Glass in his arms. “I have to keep running strong. I have the horsepower to be there. I just have to make my turns better.
“We are far from out of this thing.”
Glass’s cousin Colt Cosgrave was sitting in fourth-place in the aggregate after Sunday’s races.
“I’m running well, I just can’t take any penalties,” said the High River-born Cosgrave. “It’s early.”
The drivers remained in the same heats for the first four nights of racing. There will be redraw for the next four nights based on their performance on the opening days of the Stampede.
The leading driver in the aggregate after thee days of racing was Grande Prairie’s Hugh Sinclair at 3:52.35.
The top eight drivers over the first eight days of racing in Calgary will qualify for Saturday’s two semifinal heats. The top four drivers with the fastest times in Saturday’s semifinals will advance Sunday’s Dash for Cash final with the winner taking home the $100,000 first-place cheque.
To check the full standings of the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby go to www.wpca.com
