Northlands Park kicked off its Fall Harness Meet on Friday night with a pair of Alberta Sires Stakes for four-year-old pacing mares and eliminations for the Western Filly Pace
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The stakes action commenced with Crying Over You capturing the first $23,329 Alberta Heartland division with confidence. Sammy Lee Promise (J.F. Gagne) cleared the lead from the outside Post 5 position at the :26.4 opener and took the field to the half in :57.4. From there, Brandon Campbell sent Crying Over You to the top from third and the daughter of Tajma Hall-At A Glance drew away by four lengths en route to three-quarters in 1:27.1. As Crying Over You turned for home, she waved good-bye to her foes and extended her lead to nearly seven lengths. She stopped the clock in 1:58.3 while her co-favoured entrymate Weareverigo (Ron Graham) came in second and The Big Slice (Keith Clark) third.
Alvin Jensen trains Crying Over You, an Alberta Heritage winner on July 22 at Grande Praire, for owner and breeder Walter Moroz of Edmonton, Atla. In 19 starts this year, Crying Over You has recorded four wins good for $36,180. Her seventh win overall pushed her bankroll to $63,727.
After spending nearly a year in Ontario, A Ps Money Maker returned to Alberta soil and picked up her first win of the year in the second $23,329 ABSS Heartland split under the guidance of Bill Tainsh, Jr. Doober Hoozzitz, with P.E.I.’s Terry Gallant in the bike, and A Ps Money Maker left together but it was Doober Hoozzitz who eventually pulled ahead with the inside advantage. Refusing to sit a pocket trip, A Ps Money Maker was back out and rolling after the :29 second first quarter. The daughter of Cardmaster Hanover-Mint Kondition led the way past the half in :59.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.3 before sweeping home in :29.2 for the two and a quarter length triumph. Doober Hoozzitz followed for second with Noel Noel (Kelly Ducharme) finishing back in third.
Trained by Travis Umphery and owned by Terry Hamilton of Lethbridge, Joe Tinelli of St Albert and the Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, Alta., A Ps Money Maker notched her 11 lifetime win lifting her earnings to $278,238.
Three-year-old pacing fillies Onaway and A Special Lady each captured a $15,000 elimination for the Western Filly Pace and will return next weekend, along with the remaining top four finishers from each elim, for the $100,000 final.
In the first elim, Lady And Thetrench (Keith Clark) fired off a :28.2 opening quarter but a parked out Pretty Promised (Mike Hennessey) drove on to claim the top spot. After passing the half in :58.4, Nazko Finally (Gerry Hudon) brushed up from fifth and took the field to three-quarters in 1:27.4. The fan favourite led the way into the stretch, but 5-1 Onaway and Jeff Stone came flying late on the far outside from the backfield to pick off Nazko Finally in deep stretch in 1:57.4. The With Held-Hoosier Jessica filly prevailed by one and a quarter lengths. Lady And Thetrench, who was shuffled back to sixth, managed to come back on for third. Cuzzin Mimi (Jamie Gray) also earned a spot in the final.
Robert Sabourin, Jr. trains and Gregory Martin of Calgary, Alta. owns the winning filly, who scored for the first time this year in 10 starts and pushed her earnings to $20,456. Onaway is now a five-time winner with $73,155 banked lifetime.
Lynettes Legacy (Brandon Campbell) led the field for the second elim through stations of :28.2 and :59.1 before Perfect Summer (Gerry Hudon) took over at three-quarters in 1:27.3. A Special Lady and Bill Tainsh, Jr., who sat fifth for the first half of the race, picked up cover from Incredible Beauty (Keith Clark) and used a :29.1 final frame to sweep past the field in the stretch and for the 33-1 upset in 1:57.1. Jennas Pass (Ron Graham) finished a length and three-quarters behind with Promisinggoodnews (Don Monkman, Jr.) coming on for third. Fourth place went to Incredible Beauty.
Unraced a two, A Special Lady earned her eighth win in 22 starts this year and lifted her earnings to $82,824 for trainer Jeff MacLeod and owners Gordon Remmen of Campbellville, Ont., Gordon Rumpel of Calgary and Dr. Maurice Stewart of Leduc, Alta.
In the $13,000 Fillies & Mares Pace, Admired Beauty and driver Brandon Campbell prevailed in 1:56.4 over her stablemate Starring Role (Don Monkman, Jr.). The five-year-old daughter of Apaches Fame-Armbro Teacher earned her 15th victory in 31 starts this year and lifted her earnings to $82,019 for trainer and owner Dan Sifert. Admired Beauty has won 26 times over the course of her career capturing nearly $170,000 in purses.
Northlands will be hosting a four-card-per-week live schedule with racing on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until December 20. First-race post time on weekdays will be 6 p.m., while the weekend action will get underway at 1 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.