The 2010 Alberta Sires Stakes season wrapped up on Saturday afternoon at Northlands Park with six Battle of Alberta Super Finals
and a pair of consolations featuring $550,000 in purses.
Kramers Man kicked off the Battle of Alberta Super Finals with a 30-1 shocker in the $50,000 four-year-old colts and geldings event.
Bandit On The Run (Gerry Hudon) crossed over from the outside post position but gave way to 1-5 favourite Hitech Wrangler (Keith Clark), who pulled the pocket and swept to command past the :28 opening quarter.
Cenalta Pride (Gary Clark) went first over from third en route to the next marker in :58 and applied heavy pressure to the leader past three-quarters in 1:27.
Meanwhile, Jim Marino and Kramers Man, who sat gapped back in sixth through the early fractions, began to move underway. The Clintons Cigar-Kramers Rule gelding angled four-deep around the final turn and came flying home to prevail by a length in 1:58 over a track rated 'good'. Knickfree (Brandon Campbell) came for second while Raysmidnightcall (Rodney Starkewski) edged out 135-1 shot Double L Jammer (Clinton Warrington Jr.) for third.
Kramers Man paid $63.00 for the upset. He picked up his fourth win in 33 starts and more than doubled his 2010 bankroll, which now sits at $48,981, for trainer Darryl Cutting and owner Melinda Smith of Edmonton, Alta.
Lady And Thetrench overcame an outside starting post with a perfect steer from trainer-driver Keith Clark to capture the $50,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for four-year-old mares.
Gts Lizzy (Brandon Campbell) fired to the lead off the gate and reached the opening quarter in :27.4 forcing outsider Western Bee (J.F. Gagne) to take a pocket seat in behind.
After getting away fifth, Clark began to advance with Lady And Thetrench in front of the grandstand flushing Nazko Finally (Gerry Hudon) out from third for cover.
Nazko Finally cleared the lead after a :57.3 half while Gts Lizzy began to back through the field. Lady And Thetrench moved up to apply pressure past three-quarters in 1:27 and eventually pulled away down the stretch to score in 1:57.2. Arctic Flame (Gary Clark) finished two and a half lengths behind in second and Perfect Summer (Brent Grundy) got up for third over Nazko Finally.
Lady And Thetrench, a daughter of Armbro Trench-Cambests Lady, paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 favourite. The victory was her fifth in 27 starts this year and pushed seasonal her earnings to $84,092 for Clark and co-owners Pat Elynuik and John Hind of Calgary, Alta.
Im Sheila stamped her name in the history books when she came flying home from the back of the pack to grab the victory in the $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for two-year-old fillies.
Clintons Keepsake (Keith Clark) carved out fractions of :29.2, :59.4 and 1:28.2 turning back a challenge from the popular Barona Josie (Bill Tainsh Jr.) while Im Sheila watched from seventh.
As the field entered the stretch, trainer-driver Gary Clark shifted Im Sheila into high gear from the backfield and the daughter of Brandons Cowboy-Barnyard Dance made up her nine length deficit with a :30.3 final frame. Im Sheila sprinted home on the far outside to prevail in 2:00.1 by one and a quarter length. Clintons Keepsake held on for second and Wrangler Starlight (Bobby Clark) was third.
Im Sheila paid $10.50 for the victory as the 4-1 third choice. Clark also owns the winner with fellow Sexsmith, Alta. resident Catherine Case. The victory improved Im Sheila's record to 3-3-3 in 10 starts and boosted her earnings to $80,442.
Two-year-old pacing colt Bachelor Pad pulled the pocket down the backstretch and opened up daylight on the field to secure a $100,000 stakes victory in the next Battle of Alberta Super Final.
Silent Rescue (John Chappell) took the lead off the gate ahead of Bachelor Pad and trainer-driver Gerry Hudon en route to the opening quarter in :28.2. But as the early leader headed to the half in :58.3, Bachelor Pad moved out and around him and kicked away from the field.
Bachelor Pad built up a nine length lead by three-quarters in 1:26.2 and with no one else in sight, the son of Brandons Cowboy-Duplex cruised to the wire in 1:57.1. Boy From Ipanema (Kelly Hoerdt) finished over seven lengths behind in second and the popular Takem Todakleaners (Brent Grundy) rounded out the top three.
Bachelor Pad paid $7.10 to win as the 5-2 second choice. Hudon shares ownership of the winning colt with R. Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie and Monica Hudon of Edmonton, Alta. Bachelor Pad is now three-for-seven in his career with $71,609 earned.
Western Filly Pace runner-up River Lass delivered on her pari-mutuel promise in the $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for three-year-old fillies for trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt and his partner Blair Corbeil of Beaumont, Alta.
W Jean (Bobby Clark) sped off the gate from Post 4 along with outsider Nakednakednaked (Brandon Cambpell) while River Lass tucked into fifth place for Hoerdt. W Jean forced Nakednakednaked to take a backseat as she charged to the first quarter in :28-seconds.
River Lass was first to make a move as W Jean led the fillies to the half in :58.2. The daughter of As Promised-Brass Buttons picked up cover from Nakednakednaked as the field headed to three-quarters in 1:27.2 and then angled wide around the final turn. River Lass unleashed a :29.2 final frame to prevail in 1:57.1 by two lengths. Wrangler Raine (Don Monkman Jr.) and 43-1 longshot Westwood Cowgirl (Jim Marino) came on for second and third.
River Lass paid $3.30 to win as the bettor’s choice. She has won 13 times in 22 starts this season to earn $225,236.
The $25,000 consolation went to Tajerine Dream ($4.30), who stopped the clock in 1:59.2 for driver John Chappell and trainer J.F. Gagne. After Rays Revenge (Warren Grant) put up fractions of :29.3 and 1:00, Tajerine Dream pulled the pocket and swept to command. The daughter of Tajma Hall-Grecian Princess reached the third quarter mark in 1:29.1 and cruised home for the one length victory. Spring Baby (Gary Clark) was second and Dreamway Celebrity (Brandon Campbell) was third.
Gagne owns the winner of seven races in 27 starts and $31,932 this year with Peter Van Seggelen of De Winton, Alta. and Carl Warnaar of Kelowna, B.C.
Western Pace champion Barona Ice added another $100,000 stakes victory to his resume with a 1:55.3 effort in the Battle of Alberta Super Final for three-year-old colts.
Odds-on favourite Clintons Escape (Keith Clark) took control in the final 'Battle' of the afternoon from Post 2 and carved out early fractions of :28.3 and :58.
Driver Bill Tainsh Jr. sent Barona Ice first over from fourth en route to the next mark of 1:26.4 and went head-to-head with the pacesetter around the final turn before scooting away down the stretch with a :28.3 final frame to score in 1:55.3. Campasser (Brandon Campbell) finished two and a half lengths behind in second off a pocket trip while Flak Jacket (Jamie Gray) rallied from last to show.
Barona Ice paid $7.50 to win as the 5-2 second choice. The homebred son of Freedoms Pass-Vanessa Hall, trained by Douglas Stout, has won eight of his 18 starts this year while banking $160,790 for Barona Yearlings of Spruce Grove, Alta.
Earlier on the card, Western Pace runner-up War Cry Ranger ($2.50) won the $25,000 consolation for three-year-old colts with trainer Don Monkman Jr. in the bike. The son of Camystic-Western Gift carved out fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:27.2 en route to victory in 1:57.2. Light The Board (Kelly Hoerdt) followed for second and Hot Attack (Gerry Hudon) was third.
War Cry Ranger has now won five times in 23 starts this year and has earned $81,353 for the Don M JR Stables, Don Byrne Stables 2008 Inc. and Frances Byrne of Edmonton, Alta.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
Click here for replays from thehorses.com.