The 2016 Alberta Sires Stakes season will wrap up this Saturday, Oct. 29 at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino with four championship titles and $320,000 in purses on the line.
The top two and three-year-old Alberta-sired pacers of the season will face off in four $80,000 Super Finals during the Saturday program, which begins at 1:10 p.m. (MDT). There will also be four $15,000 consolations for each division.
Two-year-old filly Outlaw Fireball will look to end her first season in the Alberta Sires Stakes with a perfect record. The Blue Burner-Watchasgirlsgoby filly was victorious in all three of her preliminary divisions and has drawn the inside post position in the first Super Final of the day (race seven) for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Marjorie Dumont. Outlaw Fireball is the 3-1 morning line favourite. Among her rivals is Wedding Dance, the divisional track record holder courtesy of her 1:56 victory in the ASHA Filly Stakes. The Harold Haining trainee won her first two Sires Stakes divisions and finished second to Outlaw Fireball in the final Stardust leg on October 15. Gerry Hudon drives the daughter of Mystery Chase and Westart Love, who will start beside the favourite in post two.
Senga Nitro headlines the two-year-old colt and gelding division with a perfect three-for-three Sires Stakes record of his own heading into the eighth race championship. The Blue Burner-Nells Sweet Future gelding is the 5-2 favourite and has drawn post two for trainer/driver Ryan Grundy. He enters the Super Final off a 1:55.4 two-year-old track record victory in the final October 16 leg of the Shooting Star. Meanwhile, trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt will aim for his second straight Super Final victory in the freshman colt division with his 2016 contender Wabash Cannonball, who won both Sires Stakes legs that he competed in. The Mystery Chase-Western Gift colt has drawn post seven.
Hoerdt will send out defending champion Wrangler Cash in the following three-year-old colt and gelding division, scheduled as race 10. The As Promised-W Jean colt, who was victorious in the first Alberta Plainsman final of the season on July 10, tuned up for Saturday's championship with a 1:55.1 victory last Sunday. The winner of the last Alberta Maverick final on October 16, Outlaw Turn N Burn, is the 3-1 morning line favourite, but has drawn the outside post eight. J.F. Gagne will drive the Blue Burner-Penny Lace colt, who has been a consistent stakes competitor earning over $87,000 in purses while racing from the Donna Sarin stable. Marksman winner Classy Artist has the inside post advantage for driver Gerry Huron and trainer Rod Starkewski, who is loaded for bear with a total of seven Super Final starters on Saturday.
Defending Super Final champion Divas Dragonfly is the 3-1 morning line favourite from post seven in the three-year-old pacing filly division (race 11). The Mystery Chase-Midnight Diva filly, who won all three of her Sires Stakes eliminations this season and was a runner-up to Outlawburntpopcorn in the latest Marquis final, is in search of a big win for driver Jamie Gray and trainer Carl Archibald. Outlawburntpopcorn has the inside post advantage after her 146-1 upset, with Nathan Sobey picking up the catch-drive for Starkewski. Meanwhile, Alberta Diamond champion Ba Bye Ceia Later will start from post six for the father-son, trainer-driver duo of Rod and Mike Hennessy.
To view Saturday's complete fields, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Century Downs.
For free program pages, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.