The 2012 ASHA Award nominees in the Three-Year-Old Alberta Colt category highlighted Saturday afternoon's harness racing card at Northlands Park prior to the banquet with Smooth Criminal leading the way thanks to a dominant score against Open company.
Scoring his first Open victory in the afternoon's $9,900 feature race, Smooth Criminal stopped the clock in 2:01.2 over the 'good' surface.
Driven by Bill Tainsh Jr., the four-year-old Blue Burner gelding advanced first over from third down the backstretch and edged past the leading Flak Jacket, one of the Champion Aged Horse nominees, around the final turn before opening up six lengths on the field. Mr Saratoga edged out Outlaw Highvoltage and Flak Jacket in a photo for second.
Doug Stout, an ASHA Award nominee in the Trainer Under 200 Starts category, conditions the winner for owners Willie Wychopen of St. Paul, Alta. and Walter Moroz of Edmonton.
Last season, Smooth Criminal put together a record reading 5-1-4 in 19 starts while banking $86,253. Among his wins were two Alberta Sires Stakes finals, and with his 1:53 Marksman elimination win, he established himself as the season's fastest three-year-old Alberta-bred in the province.
Other Alberta sophomore colt nominees Outlaw Beacon and Cowboy Caper finished one-two in an $8,200 conditioned pace earlier on the card. Lance Ward trainee Outlaw Beacon and Brandon Campbell won by over two lengths in 2:01.2 over Cowboy Caper and trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt, a finalist in multiple ASHA divisions.
Greek Ruler, an ASHA Award nominee in the Claimer Over $10,000 division, also won his Saturday assignment by a neck in 2:02.1 for driver John Chappell and trainer Joe Ratchford.
The ASHA Award winners will be announced this evening at the annual awards banquet in Edmonton. For a complete list of nominees, click here.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Northlands Park.