A pair of $55,031 Harvest Gold divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings headlined Sunday afternoon’s card of live racing at Northlands Park and all eyes were on winners Oblivious Boy and Swiftys First Star.
In the first division, Keith Clark’s Oblivious Boy left from Post 5 and took the field to the first quarter station in :29 before giving way to the post-time favourite, Raysmidnightcall (Brent Grundy), who carved out the following panels of :59 and 1:29.1. As the field turned for home, Oblivious Boy popped the pocket and sprinted down the stretch for the win in 1:59.
Raysmidnightcall finished a length and a half back in second while Oblivious Boy’s stablemate, Outlaw Mister Cool (Bobby Clark) closed well for third.
In four starts, the As Promised gelding, who won a division of the Presidents Pace on Nov. 14, has banked $49,745 for Clark and co-owner Doris McDougall of Cochrane, Alta.
In the second split, Swiftys First Star overcame Post 7 for a mild upset in 1:57 with Bill Tainsh, Jr. in the sulky.
Rotten Randy (Bobby Clark) was the early front-runner before Commence Countdown (Brent Grundy) stepped up to the plate past the :29 quarter pole and pulled away from the pack by two lengths. After a :58 half, Swiftys First Star kicked into action, moving from fifth to first by the third quarter mark in 1:27. The As Promised gelding pulled away by five lengths in the stretch but a quick-closing Wrangle Hitech (Keith Clark) shortened his lead to half a length. Rotten Randy finished third.
The winner of two races and $43,988 in five starts is trained by Robert Sabourin, Jr. for owners Kurt and Kathy Schmidt of Leduc, Alta.
To view Sunday’s results, click here.