Rookies Impress In The Alberta Lonestar
Three divisions of the Alberta Lonestar for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings went postward Sunday afternoon at Alberta Downs, with Outlaw Gunpowder turning in the quickest time of the divisional winners.
Trainer/driver Connie Kolthammer got away second Outlaw Gunpowder while Get Thereovernight hustled to the lead and took the field by the quarter pole in a :29-second clip. Positions were unchanged at the half-mile marker in :59.2 and the three-quarter station in 1:28.4. The final quarter, however, was a different story. Outlaw Gunpowder sprinted to the lead by using a :29.3 closing panel and that was more than enough to earn him the 1:58.4 decision by 3-3/4 lengths over Get Thereovernight. Shyloh Changerluck was third.
Sent off as the longest shot on the board in the four-horse affair, Outlaw Gunpowder produced the maiden-breaking win for his owner/breeder, the Outlaw Stable of Falun, AB. The son of Smart Shark-Fox Valley Cherish is closing in on $10,000 in earnings.
Comes Home First extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to his 2:00.3 tally in the second division. Jim Marino hustled the Lance Ward trainee right to the front, and the pacer never looked after supplying splits of :29, 1:01.3 and 1:33.2. His :27.1 final quarter earned him the three-length decision over Pass The Port, with My Boss taking home third prize in the $18,767 tilt.
J J J Stables of Aldergrove, BC own the son of Brandons Cowboy-Cinderella Cam who improved his record to 3-1-1 from just five trips to the track. The $20,000 purchase from the 2012 ASHA Yearling Sale has earned $20,141 to date.
Jack Of Diamonds capped off the stakes action with a maiden-breaking victory of his own. Travis Cullen worked out a sweet, two-hole trip for the Tim Brown pupil, who used a :29-second final frame to haul down pacesetter Donttelldaddy and fend off the eventual runner-up, Outlaw Blueporsche, by a nose in 2:00. Donttelldaddy faded to finish third.
The son of As Promised-Never Ever now owns a 1-1-0 record in his first three starts in addition to a bankroll that stands at $9,828. The youngster is a homebred owned by Albert Branham of Sherwood Park, AB.
Sunday’s card also featured the $8,500 Open Pace, with Cowboy Caper taking home the lion’s share of the purse in this week’s edition.
Gerry Hudon worked out the two-hole trip for Cowboy Caper while Trust The Artist did the heavy lifting through fractions of :26.4, :56 and 1:24.3. Cowboy Caper’s :28.1 closing panel was more than enough to get to Trust The Artist and just enough to fend off the late-rushing runner-up, Smooth Criminal in 1:53.1. Trust The Artist was third.
The gelding was one of three winners sent out on the 11-race card by trainer Kelly Hoerdt. He shares ownership on the four-year-old son of Brandons Cowboy-Prom Miss with Blair Corbeil, Peter Morris and Roque Consultants Inc of Alberta.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Alberta Downs.