The 2014 Alberta Sires Stakes season kicked off on Saturday afternoon at Alberta Downs with three $6,667 Alberta Princess eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Leading the way to next Saturday's $50,000 (added) final are elimination winners Blue Monday, Mothers Melody and Nighttraintovegas, all daughters of sire Camystic.
After a few early lead changes in the first elimination, last year's Super Final runner-up Blue Monday ($3.60) and driver Bill Tainsh Jr. advanced first over from fourth and wore down the front-running Make Three Wishes in the stretch. The favourite opened up nearly six lengths approaching the wire to secure the 1:58.1 victory. Hot Sex and Reserved Lady finished second and third. Trainer Connie Kolthammer's Outlaw Stable shares ownership of the Camystic-Miss Lady Blues filly with David Farrell of Yorkton, Sask. The win was her second in a row in six sophomore outings after going winless in 12 starts at two and bumped her bankroll to $45,522.
Making just her second career start in the next elimination, Jamie Gray's Mothers Melody ($23.50) pulled off a 10-1 upset as she won by two lengths in 1:57.1. The Camystic-Pop Art sat a loose pocket trip early on and was shuffled to third before launching her attack in the stretch for the maiden-breaking victory. Philly Collins and favourite Barona Mercedes came on for second and third over pacesetter Triple Action.
In the fastest final elimination, the popular front-stepping Nighttraintovegas ($2.20) drew off to a double-digit victory in 1:55.4 with Brandon Campbell aboard for his fourth driving win of the day. Night Affair followed 14-1/2 lengths in arrears for second and Rs Dancer was third. The homebred Camystic-Midnight In Vegas filly is trained by Richard Schneider for Dick Schneider and David Halmosi. Also a dead-heat winner in the Wild Rose at the end of May, she is now two-for-four this year and has seven wins in 13 lifetime starts with earnings of $69,572.
Sing Like An Angel won this week's $8,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace in 1:54.2 over her favoured stablemate Feelin Flush to kick off a training triple for Travis Cullen. Phoenician Gal ($12.50) and Overnight Success ($4) won the next two races for the 2013 Future Star Award winning horseman. Earning her 11th victory this season, Sing Like An Angel is now part of a seven-way tie for second-place for most wins in North America.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.