Stakes Action Galore At Northlands
Two Premier’s Fillies and Colts divisions and a pair of Black Gold Eliminations took centre stage during an action packed Sunday afternoon card of racing at Northlands Park.
Two $27,200 Premier’s Filly splits for two-year-old pacing fillies that are Alberta owned, foaled or sired competed in the second and third races.
Sealedwithapromised kept her promise to her backers when she converted from a perfect pocket trip for trainer/driver Keith Clark. The As Promised – Seely Bert filly tracked the every move set by Cuzzin Mimi (Jamie Gray) through intervals of :27.4, :58 and 1:27.1. Clark guided Sealedwithapromise to the outer lane around the final turn and she drove away in the stretch to win by four and a half lengths in a career best 1:56.4. Cuzzin Mimi stayed for second while Arielle Pass (Gerry Hudon) won the show photo.
Clark co-owns Sealedwithapromised with partners Macpherson Standardbreds and Laurence Swalm. In four starts this season, she is 2-2-0 with earnings of $43,803.
Onaway made her way to the winner’s circle for the third consecutive start when she was a first-over winner for driver Mark Bradley. The daughter of With Held – Hoosier Jessica watched things from third through a half of :28.1 and :57.2. Onaway started the outside way down the backside and drew alongside leader Incredible Beauty (Keith Clark) after the three-quarters flashed up in 1:27.2. Those two fillies battled the entire stretch, but it was Onaway who prevailed by a half-length in 1:58.
Keystone Vanyla (Don Monkman, Jr.) was unofficially third under the wire, however, she was judged to cause interference and was placed sixth. Gts Lizzy (Bill Tanish, Jr.) was fourth, placed third.
Kelly Hoerdt trains Onaway for owner Gregory Martin. It was her fourth win in eight starts as a freshman, increasing her purse account to $52,699.
$54,300 was on the line in a pair of Premier’s Colts and Geldings events for two-year-old pacing colts that are Alberta owned, foaled or sired, carded as the fourth and fifth races.
Rotten Randy went the best mile in his young career to take the first division for trainer/driver Keith Clark. The Marlow Hanover – Expensive Return colt cut all the fractions on the front-end, setting the tempo in :28.3, :59.3 and 1:29.2 en route to a lifetime mark 1:58 record. Cane Ridge (Jean Francois Gagne) was five lengths back in second, with Savedbythebell (Bobby Clark), another Clark trainee, finishing third.
Clark shares partnership on Rotten Randy, who is 2-2-0 in five starts and has earnings of $35,621, with Robert Smith and Pat Elynuik.
Red Riverboat showed the short way home in the second tilt. With trainer Gerry Hudon at the reins, the Red River Hanover – Artemis Tss colt laid down stanzas of :29, :58.2 and 1:28.1. Red Riverboat used a final kick of :28.2 to hold off Shouldabeensam (Keith Clark) by a head in a lifetime best 1:56.3. Charger Hanover (Bobby Clark) rounded out the top three.
Red Riverboat has won two straight and three of four this year, banking purses of $35,242 for Hudon, Craig Stamp and Gerry Gilroy.
Northlands also hosted two $15,000 Black Gold Eliminations for sophomore pacing colts and geldings, Races 6 and 7.
Outlaw Free Ride made his return to Sires Stakes action a winning one in the first Elimination. Handled by trainer Warren Grant, the Freedoms Pass – Outlaw Quick Step gelding did all the roadwork, hammering out fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.1 en route to a three-quarter length score in 1:55.4. Four Forty (Keith Clark) was second best while Outlaw Bet Me (Don Monkman, Jr. ) won the show photo.
Swingline Stable owns Outlaw Free Ride, who is five-for-nine in his career, collecting purses of $63,653.
Timberline Court sizzled a back half in :54.3 to take the second Elimination for trainer/driver Gerry Hudon. The With Held – Bon Temps gelding was unhurried early, sitting fifth through a first half in :27.3 and :57. Hudon unleashed Timberline Court down the backside and the gelding brushed fifth-to-first by the 1:25.2 three-quarters, and then he paced home in :27.2 to stop the teletimer on top by three quarters of a length in 1:52.4, a new career mark.
Avalon Promise (Ronald Graham) was the closest pursuer to Timberline Court and finished second while Barona Grizzly (Keith Clark), who was the early leader, finished third.
Hudon and Lynn Kowalevsky co-own Timberline Court, who is 7-1-1 in 12 lifetime tries, recording earnings of $85,175.
The $75,202 Black Gold Final is scheduled for next Sunday.
To view Northlands’ results, click here.