Hall of Fame horseman Keith Clark looks like he will be the king of the hill this Saturday as the three-year-old fillies will be taking centre stage at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino.

The Ralph Klein Breeders Stakes will be contested in two elimination heats each with a purse of $10,000 per elim, with the final scheduled for August 8th where $70,000 will be up for grabs in the final.

In the first elimination, Race 4, Blue Star Texas and her arch rival Fire Watch (Cullen) will be the likely favourites to wrap up a spot behind the gate for the final. Blue Star Texas is peaking at right time and will seek her fourth straight victory. On the season, Blue Star Texas (Brandons Cowboy - Movin Uptown) has a 8-5-1-1 summary and recently surpassed the $100,000 plateau in career earnings.

The connections do not believe the layoff will be anything to worry about.

“She is a decent honest small mare and came back just fine out of her last race. She has not raced since July 11, but she is the type of horse that does not need much racing and she has been training well,” said Clark regarding Saturday's elimination. Owned by Doris McDougall and Robert Jones, Blue Star Texas is a half-sister to a former Alberta Sires Stakes champion in Blue Star Admiral (Camystic)

Clark will have another horse in the first elimination. Stablemate Cam Finish (Phil Giesbrecht) drew right next to Blue Star Texas in post four but she looks to have her hands full with this group.

"She is a follower and will be hard pressed to qualify for the final,” added Clark.

The very next race will see the second and final elimination. Clark also will be represented in this race with Cheer For Court but feels the competition may be too much for him in this race. "I think Thats Extra (Kelly Hoerdt), Take On Da Boys (Rod Hennessy), and My Villas On Fire (Jamie Gray), are going to be very tough and the ones to beat,” stated Clark.

Regarding the colts and geldings, Keith Clark’s superstar First Class Horse will get the acid test in his prep for $70,000 Brad Gunn Final. The three-year-old son of Western Terror will tangle with older foes by stepping into the Open pacing class. Since only nine horses were entered for the Brad Gunn Stakes, no elimination heats were required this Saturday. The Ralph Klein and Brad Gunn Finals will be broadcast live August 8 on CTV.

On holiday Monday, the spotlight is on the future stars of harness racing when the two-year-old fillies and colts strut their stuff in the Alberta Starlet and Alberta Rising Star stakes respectively. Both stakes will go with three divisions each with a purse of $16,667.

Divas Dragonfly looks like she will be the favourite in the first elimination off her second place finish against older females in her last effort.

Switching to the boys, the Alberta Rising Star stakes will showcase some nice youngsters. Blue Star Jet, a $12,000 yearling purchase and a half brother to Blue Star Admiral and the aforementioned Blue Star Texas, looks to rebound off his second place finish to longshot Duke It Out (Preston Shaw) in the Horizon Stakes back on July 19.

Friday's card (starting at 5:30 p.m.) marks the start of a busy weekend of harness racing at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, with races also set for Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s cards with a first race post time of 2:00 p.m. each day.

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Frank Fontana)