Reigning divisional champion Outlaw Fireball completed a sweep of the Alberta Sires Stakes finals for three-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night (October 20) at Northlands Park as she held off the late-closing Outlaw Imahotvixen at the wire in the Marquis leg.
Following victories in the Alberta Princess and Diamond finals earlier this year, Outlaw Fireball asserted her divisional dominance again in the $56,300 Marquis final for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Marjorie Dumont.
Pickles On Top (Mike Hennessy) and Wedding Dance (Gerry Hudon) fired off the gate in an early tussle for the top spot. With the inner post advantage, Pickles On Top emerged with the lead while Wedding Dance dropped into the pocket through a :27.3 opening quarter.
As Pickles On Top took a second quarter breather to the half in :57.3, Outlaw Fireball made her move from third and improved her position with Shesamysterytome (Ryan Grundy) pouncing three-wide off her cover as they passed three-quarters in 1:26.3.
Outlaw Fireball went by her stablemate Pickles On Top in the stretch and then held off Outlaw Imahotvixen (Jamie Gray), who powered up from the backfield on the far outside to make it a close finish. Outlaw Fireball prevailed by a half-length in 1:56.1. Wedding Dance edged out Shesamysterytome and Pickles On Top for third-place, finishing one and three-quarter lengths behind.
Sent postward as the 1-5 favourite, Outlaw Fireball paid $2.40 to win.
The Blue Burner-Watchasgirlsgoby filly has won eight of her 13 starts this year, including the Meridian Farms Breeders Stakes and Northlands Filly Pace. Friday's stakes score pushed her annual income to $221,109.
Gagne also shares ownership with Peter Van Seggelen of Foothills, Alta., Carl Warnaar of Kelowna, B.C., and Tapron Holdings Ltd. of Heritage Pointe, Alta. Blair Corbeil, President of ASHA, made the winner's circle presentation to Outlaw Fireball's connections.
The Marquis was the third and final leg of the Alberta Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies. Their final test of the season will come in the Challenge Of Champions Super Finals, which are slated for Saturday, Oct. 28.
Earlier on the card, Watch My Luck won the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open in 1:54 for the Dumont stable. The five-year-old Camluck-Watch Over Me mare is also campaigned by Gagne, Van Seggelen and Warnaar. Nathan Sobey was in the bike as Gagne was aboard the winner's older sister Tajmeallover, whose six-race win streak came to an end as she finished one length behind in third after rallying home from the backfield. Watch My Luck paid $12.50 to win after tracking Showtime Terror's move on the backstretch and defeating her by three-quarters of a length.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Northlands Park.