It was a ‘go to the front and don’t look back’ approach for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt with Hot Kiss in Saturday’s $45,700 Alberta Diamond Final at Century Downs, and it turned out to be the winning trip for the longshot.

Hot Kiss shot to the top at odds of 15-1, and after getting away with a soft, opening quarter of :29 the leader felt fierce pressure when race favourite Custard Lite went into attack mode.

Those two battled through middle splits of :57.3 and 1:27.3 before Hot Kiss summoned up a :30.4 closing quarter to win by three-quarters of a length over My Day in 1:58.2. Custard Lite hung tough to finish third in the event for three-year-old pacing fillies.

Hoerdt co-owns the daughter of Vertical Horizon-Hot Night with William Andrew of Calgary, AB. After going 0-for-6 as a rookie, the filly has manufactured a 4-1-2 record from nine starts this season. To date, Hot Kiss has banked in excess of $40,000.

Earlier on the card, Tajmeallover repeated in the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. As American Passion (Brandon Campbell) carved out fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:24.2 on the engine, J.F. Gagne sat off the pace in fourth with favoured Tajmeallover and commenced a first-over bid just before the third quarter. That first-over move flushed out pocket-sitting Lydi Lula Belle (Paul Davies) and provided the public choice with cover around the final turn.

Turning for home, American Passion began to fade on the front with Lydi Lula Belle claiming the lead. Gagne tipped Tajmeallover off Davies' helmet and the classy mare powered past en route to the 1:53.3 victory. JL Wonder Woman (Anthony Succarotte) picked off Lydi Lula Belle after a ground saving trip for runner-up spoils.

Tajmeallover (Tajma Hall - Watch Over Me) notched her third win of the season to push her total to 45 lifetime along with more than $320,000 in purses for owners Gagne, Peter Van Seggelen, Carl Warnaar and Tapron Holdings Ltd.

For the results from Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.