The top three-year-old pacing fillies Blue Star Texas and Fire Watch are set for their showdown in the $50,000 (added) Alberta Diamond final this Saturday at Century Downs.

Trainer/driver Keith Clark made a couple of equipment changes (adding blinkers and an open bridle) before sending 1-5 favourite Blue Star Texas on a coast-to-coast trip in winning the first Diamond elimination in a time of 1:58.3. Blue Star Texas recorded her sixth win of the season from 11 starts and now has $97,236 in sophomore earnings. However, she has drawn a tough outside post seven and will have to work out a trip. The Brandons Cowboy-Movin Uptown filly is owned by Doris McDougall and Robert Jones.

In the second Diamond elimination, 1-5 favourite Fire Watch and trainer-driver Travis Cullen was sixth early but came on late to overtake the whole field in a snappy 1:56.3 to win by nearly four impressive lengths. She has drawn the rail for the final and will likely head for the front taking no prisoners.

Cullen, his father Ron, and Dwayne Taylor co-own Fire Watch. The Camystic-Raging Red Head now filly has banked $68, 622 in three wins from nine starts in 2015.

Switching to the boys, sons of Brandons Cowboy were victorious in both eliminations last Sunday. The $50,000 (added) final of the Alberta Marksman will go on Sunday and it looks like harness racing’s version of an old-fashioned gunfight at OK Coral: this race will come down to who gets the all-important trip.

In the first elimination, Gerry Hudon guided the Brandons Cowboy colt Johnny Gun to a good looking victory by going wire-to-wire to win in 1:56.2 by two lengths over Royal Renegade. Johnny Gun was sent off as the second choice (8-5) and is trained by Harold Haining for owner Donald Richardson.

Despite coming off a two-month layoff, trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt guided yet another son of Brandons Cowboy, Cool Cowboy to a convincing two-length victory in a sizzling time of 1:55.4 over Outlaw Deacon Jim in the second elimination at 3-1 odds. Having some health issues early this year, some time off appeared to have worked to perfection.

“He got sick on me. He had no soreness or anything like that just but some breathing problems, so I decided to give him a couple months off and it did him good,” said Hoerdt. “He has always been a good colt and I expect him to be strong again in the final. But I suspect Hennessy’s horse Outlaw Deacon Jim could be the horse to beat again. Actually any horse in here can win with the right trip.”

Hoerdt’s game plan appears similar to the one in the elimination. “There is a good chance I am headed to the front but as usual it will depend on what is happening when the starting gates start folding up,” added Hoerdt. Cool Cowboy was the 2014 Alberta Champion Two-Year-Old Alberta-Sired Stakes Colt and Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, and is owned by Blair Corbeil and Witsend Consulting Inc.

Rod Hennessy appeared to agree completely with Hoerdt. “Outlaw Deacon Jim got tired on me a couple starts ago due to a lung infection. But we treated him and he is training well. He is such a handy horse to drive.”

Hennessy has high hopes for this son of Blue Burner as he will hand the reins to his regular driver Paul Davies. “He knows this horse well and I am expecting him to be much better this weekend,” commented Hennessy, who will be driving his other horse, Royal Renegade, in this same race. Outlaw Deacon Jim (Blue Burner-Billie J Blue Chip) is owned by long-time horse owner Lorne Duffield of Edmonton.

There is no racing this Friday due to the ASHA Yearling Sale; however races are set at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino for Saturday, Sunday and holiday Monday with a first race post time of 2:00 p.m. each day.

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Frank Fontana)