Driver Bill Tainsh Jr. and trainer Douglas Stout teamed up to win a pair of Alberta Sires Stakes eliminations for three-year-olds pacers with filly Blue Star Beauty and colt Smooth Criminal on Sunday afternoon at Alberta Downs.
Sunday's card featured the elimination round for the fillies' Alberta Marquis sires stake and the colts' Alberta Maverick event.
Tainsh and Stout combined to kick off the ABSS eliminations with Blue Star Beauty going wire-to-wire in 1:57.1.
Blue Star Beauty ($2.80) left from post four and cruised through panels of :27.4, :58.2 and 1:28.1 en route to an eight and a quarter length victory. Outlaw Blue Danube advanced first over to place while pocket-sitter Succulent rounded out the top three finishers.
The As Promised-Whitesand Secret filly, who boasts a sophomore record reading 5-4-0 in 10 starts with $66,576 banked in purses this year, is owned by Derek Stout of Camrose, Alta.
Trained and driven by Keith Clark, Credit Card Junkie ($6.20) rallied home off cover to win the other filly elimination in 1:56.4.
Gts Jerilyn led the field through fractions of :27.3, :58.3, and 1:28.1 before Alberta Princess champion Credit Card Junkie came flying home to steal the spotlight. The 2-1 second choice prevailed by three-quarters of a length with Cloud Nine and Down Home Stylish coming in second and third.
Clark shares ownership of the Camystic-Best Promise filly with Doris McDougall of Cochrane, Alta. and Verne Rea of Calgary, Alta. She has put together a record reading 10-8-1 in 20 starts during her debut season while banking $98,836.
Outlaw Beacon ($5.10) delivered on his pari-mutuel promise with a 1:56 winning effort in the first colt elimination.
Driver Jim Marino sent the 3-2 favourite to the lead from post five and carved out fractions of :26.3, :57.3, and 1:28 en route to the one and three-quarter length victory. Outlaw Highvoltage rallied wide from the backfield and unleashed a :26.2 final frame to come on for second while Somethinsgoinon came in third.
Lance Ward trains the Blue Burner-Billie J Blue Chip gelding for his co-owners Edward Dhoedt and Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, Alta., and William Exelby of Sherwood Park, Alta. Outlaw Beacon has hit the board in 10 of his 18 starts (five wins) to earn $53,128 this year.
Alberta Plainsman and Marksman champion Smooth Criminal ($3.80) brought Tainsh and Stout back to the winner's circle after wiring his foes in the second colt elimination.
Smooth Criminal left from post four and rolled past fractions of :27.3, :59.4, and 1:30.1 en route to a three and a half length victory in 1:57. Playbook followed from the pocket to place and Arroway rallied home off cover to show.
The Blue Burner-Gunslingin Gal gelding, who is now five-for-12 on the year with $77,357 banked in purses, is owned by Willie Wychopen of St. Paul, Alta. and Walter Moroz of Edmonton, Alta.
In regular racing action, Armbro Dublin ($8.50) circled a field of eight to win this week's $8,500 Open Pace by two lengths in 1:55 flat over favourite Flak Jacket and Timberline Court. Trainer-driver Blake Piwniuk shares ownership of the nine-year-old Cambest gelding with Jerry Hagenaars of Hafford, Sask.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.