Big money and big speed were both on display during the Sunday matinee at Alberta Downs.
The big money was the $51,900 up for grabs in the ABSS Plainsman Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, while the big speed came in the form of a record-equaling performance in the $8,400 Open Pace.
Sotally Tober fended off a late challenge to take home the ABSS Plainsman Final for trainer/driver Jamie Gray, who co-owns the gelding with Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy of Edmonton, Alberta.
Sotally Tober left hard from Post 9, but found himself parked past the quarter pole in :27.3. He brushed past the early leader, Outlaw Last Chance, and proceeded to chop out middle panels of :56.3 and 1:25 before finding another gear and sprinting home in :28.1 to secure the win by a head over Comes Home First in 1:53.1. Pass The Port sat a ground-saving trip throughout the mile and finished third.
The three-year-old son of As Promised-Rain Drop Hanover extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row while pushing his lifetime earnings to $42,219.
Who Doesnt turned in an historical performance in the very next race when he toured the oval in 1:51 en route to capturing the $8,400 Open Pace for trainer/driver Travis Cullen. The five-year-old son of Mach Three-Labor Of Love watched from the two-hole as Thunder Noise whacked out splits of :27, :56.2 and 1:24. Cullen called on his charge to attack the leader in the final quarter, and a :27-second quarter is what Who Doesnt produced. Playbook was a half-length in arrears, while Blue Star Admiral rallied to finish a distant third.
The 1:51 clocking matched the track record for an older pacing gelding on a one-mile oval set by KG Art Dreamer in 2013.
Cullen shares ownership on the speedball, who extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row, with Jeanne, Kenneth and Jodie Cullen of Glenboro, Manitoba. The lion’s share of the purse lifted his lifetime earnings to $133,830.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Alberta Downs.