Last year’s Western Pace and Battle of Alberta Super Final champion Barona Ice unleashed a killer final kicker to come on from the backfield to score his first victory of the season in the $8,700 Open Pace at Alberta Downs

on Saturday afternoon.

With Bill Tainsh Jr. in the bike, Barona Ice left from Post 6 and settled 14 lengths off the lead back in seventh place while Timberline Court (Gerry Hudon), leaving just to his outside, fired to command. Timberline Court carved out fractions of :29.3, 1:01.2 and 1:32.4 over the ‘good’ surface with Barona Ice moving into the outer flow and spotted third over turning for home. Kicking into high gear, Barona Ice fired off a :26.1 final frame to get up for the 2:00.3 victory. Pocket-sitter Dees Promise (Kelly Hoerdt) finished three-quarters of a length behind while Hilldrop Shady (Brent Grundy) rounded out the top three.

Barona Ice earned the first win of his four-year-old campaign after being upended in last week’s Open. The homebred son of Freedoms Pass-Vanessa Hall is an 11-time career winner with $187,238 banked for trainer Doug Stout and Barona Yearlings of Spruce Grove, Alta.

For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.