Keith Clark trainees swept the top spots in the $56,300 Alberta Marquis Final for three-year-old pacing fillies while the Gerry Hudon entry finished one-two in the $54,200 Alberta Maverick Final for three-year-old pacing colts on Saturday afternoon as the stakes action shifted to Northlands
Park.
In the first Alberta Sires Stakes final for the fillies, Minettas Nightstar pulled the pocket after opening panels of :27.1 and :57.1 and brushed to command ahead of elimination winner Im Sheila (Kelly Hoerdt). The Keith Clark trainee, driven by Bobby Clark, reached three-quarters in 1:26.1 and began to draw away down the stretch for the four length victory in 1:55.4. Her favoured stablemate and elim winner Dewinton Destroyer, with Keith Clark driving, advanced first over from third at the three-quarters mark and came on for second. Their 17-1 barn buddy Promise Me Pez (Gerry Hudon) sat fourth before improving one position down the stretch. Im Sheila settled for fourth while another Clark trainee and elim winner, Clintons Keepsake (Don Monkman Jr.), earned the final paycheque.
Minettas Nightstar paid $11.60 to win for the eighth time in 15 starts this year. The daughter of Brandons Cowboy-Lucky X Ample, an ASHA Breeders Stake winner earlier this year at Alberta Downs, is owned by Keith Clark and partner John Hind of Calgary, Alta. She had banked $95,229 thus far in 2011 and $143,131 lifetime.
Two races later, the Gerry Hudon-trained Hollywood Warrior, driven by Keith Clark, wired the field of Alberta Sires Stakes colts to win in 1:55.3 by a length over his favoured stablemate and fellow elimination winner Bachelor Pad and Hudon. The fractions were :27.4, :58 and 1:27. Silver Eagle (Bill Tainsh Jr.) finished third.
Hollywood Warrior paid $6.90 to win. The son of Allamerican Merlin-Southwind Madison is owned by William Boden of Vancouver, B.C. and Monica Hudon of Edmonton, Alta. Unraced at two, the bay gelding has won eight of his 20 starts this year while banking $90,081.
Clark also swept the early Daily Double with Playbook ($2.70) and One Tough Pull ($2.80) while Hudon won the third race with Hollywood Hotel ($9.40).
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northlands Park.