The brightest stars of Western Canada were out in full force during Saturday afternoon’s Battle of Alberta Super Finals at Northlands Park, and there were pari-mutuel fireworks right off the bat.
Kinda Funky got up in the nick of time to win the $75,000 Super Final for two-year-old pacing fillies, and she did so at odds of 53-1 for driver Gerry Hudon. The daughter of Camtastic-Funky Kim got away third and she remained third while Nighttraintovegas sliced out first-half splits of :28.2 and :59.4. Nighttraintovegas was still in charge of the temp at the three-quarter pole in 1:29.1, but Kinda Funky was fifth and trapped on the rail. Hudon found clearance in the late stages, however, and the filly only needed a :30.4 closing quarter to win by a head over Blue Monday in 2:00.3. Race favourite Nighttraintovegas was third.
Harold Haining of Clive, Alberta owns and trains the youngster who picked a great time to celebrate her first lifetime win. The filly now owns a 1-4-0 record in her first 11 starts. Her bankroll climbed to $45,450 with the victory.
Blue Eyed Cowboy has done plenty of winning this season, and he notched another tally in the $75,000 Super Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The son of Brandons Cowboy-Eicarls Blue Eyes rallied to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Comes Home First in a time of 1:58 for driver Bill Tainsh, Jr. Pass The Port, who carved out fractions of :27.3, :58 and 1:27.1, faded late and settled for the show dough.
Rod Starkewski of Lamont, Alberta owns and trains the youngster who won for the fifth time this season from just 10 trips to the track. The gelding’s share of the loot lifted his lifetime earnings to $64,998.
G Ts Selene manufactured a mini upset in the $75,000 Super Final for three-year-old pacing fillies when she wired up the foes she faced in a time of 1:57. Sent off at odds of 6-1, the As Promised-Enola Gay Mindale miss posted panels of :27.2, :57 and 1:26.3 before sealing the deal with a final quarter clocked in :30.2. Runner-up Cenalta Fireworks came up a neck short, while heavily favoured Crackers Hot Shot was a well beaten third.
Travis Cullen mapped out the winning trip for the Gerald McGinn trainee, who has constructed a 3-0-5 record from 12 trips to the track this season. The homebred is owned by the McGinns – Gerald, Marjorie and Terry. They’ve watched the filly put away career earnings totaling $56,904 to date.
Play Me Right marched to the front from Post 8 and didn’t look back en route to notching a narrow victory in the $75,000 Super Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Brandon Campbell revved up the engine early with the gelding, who threw down splits of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:24.4 before stepping home in :30.2 to notch the half-length score in 1:55.1 over Top Top Tap. Tinhorn Creek rounded out the top three in the eight-horse affair.
Sanford Campbell trains the son of Ameripan Gigolo-Clintons Delight for Jodi Loftus and Debbie Campbell of Calgary, Alberta. The gelding, who was purchased for $1,000 from the 2011 ASHA Yearling Sale, is a seven-time winner with purse earnings in excess of $132,000 to date.
A quartet of $20,000 Super Final Consolations were contested earlier on the card, and those affairs went to Freedoms Treasure (1:58.4), Barona Malibu (2:00.3), Get Thereovernight (1:58) and Rascal Shark (1:57.1).
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Northlands Park.