If you like two-year-old pacers, then you would have loved what Northlands Park had to offer during its Sunday matinee program
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Six divisions of stakes events were contested in the midst of the 11-race card, including three Alberta Starburst splits for fillies and a trio of Alberta Lone Star events for colts and geldings.
Clintons Keepsake kicked off the stakes action with a 1:59.4 score in the $22,100 opening division of the Alberta Starburst for trainer/driver Keith Clark. The triumph was one of four on the afternoon for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer. The Clintons Cigar-Western Rustler miss brushed to the lead past the mid-way point, and she drew off to win by 3-3/4 lengths over Miss Conduct. The winner’s stablemate, Promise Me Pez, was third as one-half of the heavily favoured entry.
Clark shares ownership on the talented youngster with fellow Albertan Allan Neurauter of High River and Kenneth Newton of Biggar, SK. The victory was the third of her career, and the lion’s share of the purse pushed her bankroll over $30,000.
Barona Josie front-stepped to a 1:59.4 score in her $22,400 division for driver Bill Tainsh, Jr. and co-owner/trainer Doug Stout of Camrose, AB. She cleared to the lead shortly past the :29.1 opening quarter, and then ripped through panels of 1:00 and 1:30 before scooting home in :29.4 to seal the deal by 2-1/4 lengths over Big Bang Theory. Blue Star Appeal was third.
Stout shares ownership on the pacing lass, who is now three-for-three in her career, with Barona Yearlings of Spruce Grove, AB. She has stashed away just over $30,000 to date.
Keith Clark, who had four training and driving victories on the card, took the other division with Minettas Nightstar. The daughter of Brandons Cowboy-Lucky X Ample was on top all the way through fractions of :29, 1:00.4 and 1:32 before using a :30-second final frame to notch the win in 2:02. It was 3-3/4 lengths back to runner-up Im Sheila, with No Limit For Mjjz rounding out the top three in the $22,400 tilt.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the eight-filly affair, Minettas Nightstar improved her record to 3-2-1 from just six trips behind the starting gate. She has earned $30,402 for Clark and partner John Hind of Calgary, AB.
Takem Todakleaners took it to the house for trainer/driver Brent Grundy in the $22,400 opening division of the Alberta Lone Star. The son of As Promised-Rain Drop Hanover sat second to the quarter pole before powering to the lead and hammering out middle panels of :59.4 and 1:30.1 en route to the 2:00.1 decision. It was 7-3/4 lengths back to runner-up Red Star Tiger, with B R Money Matters claiming the show dough.
Diane Bertrand of Edmonton along with Thomas Menard and Sherri Sorensen of Sherwood Park, AB own the youngster, who has already racked up five wins from just eight opportunities. His cash stash stands at $48,300.
Bachelor Pad was sent off as the 1-2 favourite in his $22,400 division, and he didn’t disappoint his army of backers. It did turn out to be a close call, however, for the son of Brandons Cowboy-Duplex and trainer/driver Gerry Hudon. They raced to the lead in the latter stages of the mile and managed to hold on to win by a neck over Battle River Storm in 2:00.3. Roper was a long distance phone call back in third.
Hudon shares ownership on the two-time winner with Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie and Monica Hudon of Edmonton, AB. The lion’s share of Sunday’s purse boosted the colt’s earnings to $21,025.
Silent Rescue earned a lifetime mark of 1:59.3 in his $22,700 assignment for the duo of driver John Chappell and owner/trainer Samuel Johnson of Sherwood Park, AB. The son of Rescue Me-Bay Bea Sign sped through intervals of :28.4, 1:00.4 and 1:29.4 before tacking on a :29.4 final frame for good measure. He won by a comfortable margin of 2-1/4 lengths over Boy From Ipanema. It was more than ten more lengths back to third-place finisher Fussins Big Boy.
Sent off as the 5-2 lukewarm favourite, Silent Rescue improved his overall record to 2-1-2 in seven tries for the winner of $20,789.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.