Alberta’s finest pacing stars braved the frigid temperatures and the snow flurries on Saturday afternoon to compete over a frozen track at Northlands Park during the province’s richest card featuring six Alberta Sires Stakes Super Finals
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Doober Hoozzitz Upsets At 21-1
Doober Hoozzitz converted a perfect pocket trip into a career-best victory in the $50,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for four-year-old pacing mares on Saturday afternoon at Northlands Park.
A Ps Moneymaker (Bill Tainsh, Jr.), the 1-5 favourite, cut fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27 before trainer-driver Garry Schedlosky pulled the pocket with Doober Hoozzitz and unleashed a :28.3 final quarter to prevail in 1:56.1. The time of the mile shaved one-fifth of a second off her lifetime mark.
A Ps Moneymaker stayed for second, finishing a length and a quarter behind while Rossridge Divine (Jamie Gray) closed from second over to get third.
Calgary’s Fred Lamont owns and bred the daughter of Raleigh Fingers-Fascinating Sara, who earned her third win in 25 seasonal starts. The lion’s share of the purse pushed her yearly bankroll to $62,415. Lifetime, the six-time winner has banked $145,675.
Clark Pupils Dominate Freshmen Filly Final
Trainer Keith Clark sent out a three-horse entry in the $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at Northlands Park and completed the triactor with Rossridge Fortune, W Jean and Wrangler Raine.
Driving Rossridge Fortune, Clark worked his way to the lead from second in a :27.4 opening quarter put up by Minettasluckycharm (Mike Hennessy). He then yielded to favourite W Jean (Don Monkman, Jr.) by the half in :58. She led to three-quarters in 1:27.2 before Rossridge Fortune popped the pocket at the top of the stretch.
Rossridge Fortune and W Jean duked it out down the lane but it was Rossridge Fortune who pushed ahead by half a length to win in 1:57.4 - a new lifetime mark. Wrangler Raine (J.F. Gagne) rallied off second over cover to finish back in third.
Clark shares ownership of the Brandons Cowboy-Whippet filly with Robert Jones of Slave Lake and John Hind of Calgary, Alta. Also a winner of her Alberta Starlet and Starburst divisions, Rossridge Fortune now sports a record reading 5-2-0 in eight starts with $89,506 in earnings.
Timberline Court Takes Four-Year-Old ‘Battle’
Timberline Court worked hard for the lead early on and his efforts paid off with a $25,000 return in the Battle of Alberta Super Final for four-year-old horses and geldings on Saturday at Northlands Park.
In the $50,000 stake final, Timberline Court and trainer-driver Gerry Hudon secured the lead after battling three-deep during the :28-second first quarter. Once in control, the 4-5 fan favourite rolled through stations of :56.3 and 1:25.3 building up and four and a half length advantage. The son of With Held-Bon Temps coasted home in :29.4 to win in 1:55.2.
Early leader Early Winner (John Baxter) finished a length behind in second while longshot Allbouttaj (J.F. Gagne) finished over 10 lengths back in third.
Timberline Court, a winner of his Alberta Parkland and Prairie divisions, notched his sixth win in 18 starts this season and pushed his earnings to $97,143 for co-owners Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie and Hudon. The victory was number 14 for Timberline Court, who has banked $219,919 lifetime.
Swiftys First Star Goes All The Way
Fresh off a second place finish in the Western Pace, Swiftys First Star dispensed of his seven rivals with a 12-length romp in the $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for the glamour boys Saturday at Northlands Park.
Jeff Stone directed the As Promised-Swiftys Girl gelding to the lead from Post 5 and carved out panels of :28.2, :59.2 and 1:27.1 while building up and eight-length lead on the field. The 4-5 people’s choice then fired off :27.3 final quarter extending his lead to 12 and a half lengths. Swiftys First Star stopped the clock in a career-best 1:54.4.
In the race for second, Wrangler Hitech (Keith Clark) journeyed first over from third to finish second with the second over Outlaw Mister Cool (Don Monkman, Jr.) finishing right there in third.
Trained by Robert Sabourin, Jr. for owners and breeders Kurt and Kathy Schmidt of Luduc, Alta., Swiftys First Star has recorded eights wins – including his Alberta Maverick, Marksman and Plainsman divisions - one second and one third in 11 starts this year giving him $121,517 in purse earnings. The winner of 10 races lifetime now sports a bankroll totaling $166,763.
A Special Lady Captures Sophomore Filly Final
A Special Lady made her winning move at the half and raced home to take a new mark in the $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final for three-year-old pacing fillies Saturday at Northlands Park.
Leaving from the inside post position, A Special Lady and Bill Tainsh, Jr. got away third while Lady And Thetrench (Keith Clark) fired to the lead from Post 5. Lady And Thetrench put up a hot :27.2 opening quarter before A Special Lady made her move.
A Special Lady looked the leader in the eye as they past the half in :59 and drove on to claim the top spot. The As Promised-Southwind Holley filly, the 1-2 favourite, was at three-quarters in 1:27.3 and kicked away by three lengths in the stretch.
Lady And Thetrench attempted a comeback but was only able to get within a length of the leader. A Special Lady crossed under the wire in a career-best 1:56. Arctic Flame (Brandon Campbell) rounded out the top three.
Unraced at two, A Special Lady, who won her Alberta Diamond and Marquis divisions, has compiled a record reading 9-5-3 in 24 starts this year. The lion’s share of the purse boosted her bankroll to $132,824 for owners Gordon Remmen of Campbellville, Ont., Gordon Rumpel of Calgary and Dr. Maurice Stewart of Leduc, Alta. She is trained by Deborah Manning.
Flak Jacket Is Fantastic In Battle of Alberta Finale
Two-year-old Flak Jacket was much the best in the last $100,000 Battle of Alberta Super Final during Northlands Park’s rich Saturday afternoon program.
Refusing to sit a pocket trip, 2-1 favourite Flak Jacket and trainer-driver Jamie Gray brushed to the lead ahead of Prom Mister (Warren Grant) after a :29 first quarter. The gelded son of Brandons Cowboy-Jackies Whacky led the rest of the way through panels of :59.2 and 1:28.1 without facing any serious challenges and capped off the stakes action with :28.4 final quarter to win in a life’s best 1:57 by five and a half lengths.
Prom Mister stayed for second and Dees Promise (Kelly Hoerdt) journey first up for third.
Flak Jacket, owned by Robert Murphy of Surrey, B.C., has put together a record reading 6-3-2 in 11 starts during his freshman campaign and has banked $90,304. In Alberta Sires Stakes action this year, he won both his Alberta Rising Star and Lonestar divisions.
Favourites Onaway, Oblivious Boy Capture Consolations
Western Filly Pacer runner-up Onaway delivered on her parimutual promise with a decisive nine-length decision in the $25,000 Battle of Alberta Consolation for three-year-old filly pacers while favourite Oblivious Boy also fared well in his consolation for three-year-old male pacers on Saturday at Northlands Park.
In the sophomore filly consolation, Promisinggoodnews (Gerry Hudon), who was quickest off the gate from Post 3, put up early fractions of :29 and :59.2 while Onaway and trainer-driver Jeff Stone advanced first up from sixth. The daughter of With Held-Hoosier Jessica, who was sent postward as the 2-5 favourited, reached the top in the third interval and raced past three-quarters in 1:28.1 with a two and a half length advantage. In the stretch, Onaway used a :29.4 final quarter to extend her lead to nine lengths and stop the clock in 1:58.
Barona Hush (Brent Grundy) and Pureform Aurora (Don Monkman, Jr.) followed from second and third over for the silver and bronze medals.
Purchased for $3,000 at the ASHA Yearling Sale by Gregory Martin of Calgary, Alta., Onaway has won two times in 12 starts this year earning $57,956. Her sixth win pushed her lifetime earnings over the $100,000 mark.
With trainer Keith Clark in the sulky, 6-5 favourite Oblivious Boy got away second in a :27.2 opening quarter in his consolation but advanced to the lead and paced past the remaining panels of :57.4 and 1:27.4 en route to victory. The son of As Promised-Armbro Villa, a part of the favoured Clark entry, won by two and a quarter lengths over My Candidate (Don Monkman, Jr.) in 1:57.4. Commence Countdown (Brent Grundy) was third.
Clark co-owns the winner of five races in 22 seasonal starts and $46,826 with fellow breeder Doris McDougall of Cochrane, Alta. Lifetime, Oblivious Boy has won seven races and boasts earnings of $96,571.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click here.