Two-year-old pacing colt Johnny Gun and undefeated filly Fire Watch completed sweeps of the preliminary Alberta Sires Stakes legs on Sunday afternoon at Alberta Downs.
Driven by Jim Marino, Johnny Gun rushed from third to first after the :28.2 opening panel and led the field past the half in :58.4 and three-quarters in 1:28 en route to a 1:58.2 triumph. Searching for room at the inside, early leader Cool Cowboy (Gerry Hudon) followed one length behind in second while Urcutoff (Brandon Campbell) came on for third.
Johnny Gunn has won four stakes races in a row, including his Rising Star, Lonestar, and now Shooting Star divisions in the Sires Stakes. The Harold Haining trainee also won the Horizon Pace on July 27 to begin his current streak. The Brandons Cowboy-Jerrys Girl colt was purchased for $22,000 at the ASHA Yearling Sale by Donald Richardson of Cochrane, Alta. and now has $41,590 in purse earnings.
Fire Watch and trainer/driver Travis Cullen left from post five in their filly division and carved out fractions of :28.4, :59.4 and 1:27.4 en route to a four and three-quarter length triumph in 1:58. Honey Booboolina (Brandon Campbell) followed in second and I Am Miss T (Gary Clark) finished over nine lengths behind in third.
Purchased for just $3,000 at the ASHA Yearling Sale, the Camystic-Raging Red Head filly is undefeated in six starts and has banked over $50,000 in purses for Cullen, his father Ron and partner Trevor Williams of Winnipeg, M.B. Among her wins are divisions of the Alberta Starlet, Starburst and today's Stardust in addition to a division of the Emerald Filly Pace.
My Villas On Fire kicked home off a three-hole trip to win her Stardust division in 1:59.3 for trainer/driver Jamie Gray and Edmonton owners Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy. Hot Time (Bill Tainsh Jr.) finished four lengths behind in second while pacesetter Take On Da Boys (Rod Hennessy) finished over 12 lengths behind in third. The homebred Blue Burner-My Villa filly now has back-to-back Sires Stakes victories on her record also having won her Starburst division earlier this month.
Senga Shaganappi earned his first career win in the other Shooting Star division in 1:59.2 over Redheadfred (Jamie Gray) and Pablos First (J.F. Gagne). Ryan Grundy trains and drives the Brandons Cowboy-Senga Seychelle colt for breeder Kenneth Gunn of Cochrane, Alta. and co-owner Ashlee Sluggett of Red Deer, Alta.
The fillies competed in their Alberta Stardust divisions, which were held as non-wagering races, prior to the regular card as they were postponed after Saturday's cancellation. The Shooting Star divisions for colts and geldings were held as scheduled on the regular card. All four stakes carried purses of just over $24,000.
In other action, Alberta's hottest pacer Who Doesnt continued his win streak in the $8,000 Open Handicap, rallying off cover to win in 1:53.2 over Revolver (Brandon Campbell) and Playbook (Jim Marino). The Cullen stable's five-year-old Mach Three gelding now boasts nine straight wins in the top class.
Hall of Fame horseman Keith Clark had a training/driving triple on Sunday.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click on the following links: Sunday Results (Special) / Sunday Results.