Three-year-old geldings Flak Jacket and Dees Promise braved the frigid temperatures in Edmonton, Alberta while pulling off a pair of upsets in their $15,000 eliminations for the Western Pace on Saturday afternoon
at Northlands Park. The top four finishers from each elimination earned a place in next weekend’s $100,000 final.
Trainer-driver Jamie Gray timed the first elimination to perfection as he sent Flak Jacket, last year’s Two-Year-Old Alberta Sired Male of the Year, underway from the backfield past the half-mile marker and picked up cover from the popular Barona Ice. The son of Brandons Cowboy-Jackies Whacky then sprinted home to prevail in a photo finish.
All Canadian Mjjz (Rodney Starkewski) fired to command from Post 7 and carved out fractions of :28.1 and :57.3 before he was put under pressure by even-money favourite Barona Ice (Bill Tainsh, Jr.). Advancing first over from third, Barona Ice reached the leader at the third quarter mark of 1:27.2 and surged ahead with Flak Jacket and Gray rallying off cover. Barona Ice and Flak Jacket took off down the stretch with Flak Jacket getting up on the outside just in time to score by a head in 1:57 flat over a frozen track. Stonebridge Lyric (Brandon Campbell) finished third and Havanna Rules (Keith Clark) was fourth.
Flak Jacket paid $21.50 for the 9-1 upset. The victory was his second of the year in 11 starts and pushed his seasonal earnings to $33,571 for the Jamieg And Neilm Stable of Morinville, Alta., Fred Gilbert and Richard Osterbeck of Brandon, MB and Donald Ransom of Boissevain, MB.
Dees Promise converted from a perfect pocket trip in rein to trainer Kelly Hoerdt to prevail over pacesetter Campasser in the second elimination.
Brandon Campbell put Campasser on the lead ahead of inside starter Dees Promise and led the way past fractions of :29.3, :59 and 1:27.4 with War Cry Ranger (Don Monkman Jr.) advancing first over and favourite Clintons Escape (Keith Clark) following his cover. As the field turned for home, Dees Promise sprang into action and swept by the leader to score in 1:56.1. Campasser finished three-quarters of a length behind with Clintons Escape third and War Cry Ranger coming out on top in a photo for fourth.
Dees Promise paid $15.90 for the 6-1 upset. The son of As Promised-L Dees Priona improved his record to 4-4-1 in 13 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $57,069 for Hoerdt and co-owner Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta.
The victory was one of three on the 10-race card for Hoerdt. Keith Clark also scored a training-driving triple.
To view Saturday's results, click here.