Bachelor Pad got up in the final strides to win the final prep race for the Western Canada Pacing Derby on Saturday afternoon at Northlands Park while the field for the Northlands Filly Pace was determined after the completion of two elimination races
. Both stakes finals will take place next Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Edmonton oval.
Eight sophomore colts and geldings prepped for next weekend’s $100,000 Western Canada Pacing Derby in a $7,500 event contested between the filly eliminations with Bachelor Pad and trainer-driver Gerry Hudon prevailing in a photo finish over his stablemate, Alberta Super Final champion Hollywood Warrior, and Robert Murphy Breeders Stakes winner Gramrun Jake.
Carrying a five-race win streak into the race, Gramrun Jake (Tim Brown) grabbed the lead early and fronted the field of eight through fractions of :27.4, :58.1 and 1:26.3 with last week’s Three-Year-Old Open winner Bachelor Pad, Battle River Storm (Kelly Hoerdt) and Hollywood Warrior (Dave Hudon) following.
As the colts approached the three-quarters mark, Hollywood Warrior angled off the pylons flushing his stablemate out of the pocket. Bachelor Pad went to work on the pacesetter as they entered the stretch and wore him down at the wire to score in 1:55.1 by a neck. Hollywood Warrior edged out Gramrun Jake for second. Western Olympian (Keith Clark) and Battle River Storm completed the cashers in fourth and fifth.
Bachelor Pad paid $5.60 to win as part of the favoured entry. Hudon co-owns the chestnut Brandons Cowboy-Duplex colt, who has won eight of his 18 sophomore starts while banking over $100,000, with R. Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie, Alta. and Monica Hudon of Edmonton, Alta.
In the first of two $12,500 Northlands Filly Pace eliminations for three-year-olds, Mary Murphy Breeder Stake champion Red Star Hannah pulled off a three length victory in her Northlands debut with driver Tim Brown in the sulky for trainer Ray Gemmill.
Red Star Hannah fired to the lead from Post 5 ahead of the 1-5 favoured entry in the seven-horse field, consisting of Minettas Nightstar (Bobby Clark) and Dewinton Destroyer (Keith Clark). Red Star Hannah carved out opening fractions of :27.3 and :58.4 before Dewinton Destroyer was flushed first up down the backstretch and grabbed the lead at the 1:28 third quarter station. However, Red Star Hannah fought back on the inside as they raced around the final turn and opened up three lengths on her foes in deep stretch to score in 1:57. Minettas Nightstar finished second with 20-1 shot Feel Flush (John Chappell) rallying home for third over Dewinton Destroyer.
Red Star Hannah paid $7.60 to win. The daughter of As Promised-Red Star Allie notched her fifth victory in 12 starts this year and pushed her seasonal earnings to $74,233 for Steve Shand of Port Coquitlam, B.C., and the Western Pacific Stable and Ian Moyes of Surrey, B.C.
Fresh off a win in her Northlands debut in the Three-Year-Old Open prep race last weekend, Just Fiction captured the other filly elimination with a wire-to-wire effort for driver Jim Marino and trainer Lance Ward.
Just Fiction blasted off the gate from Post 6 in the seven-horse field and led the way past fractions of :28.3, :59.2 and 1:27.4 en route to the one and a quarter length victory in 1:56.4. Barona Josie launched a first over attack from fifth at the half and advanced steadily to come on for second place honours. The 2-5 favourite, Ontario invader Village Janus (Kelly Hoerdt), finished third off a pocket trip in her Northlands debut. Shoplifter Hanover (Jamie Gray) also made the final with her fourth place finish.
Just Fiction paid $7.70 to win as the 5-2 second choice. The daughter of Kents On Nuke-Battalia Hanover is now nine-for-12 this year with $95,065 banked for her owner and co-breeder, the J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northlands Park.