Credit Card Junkie wore down favourite Blue Star Beauty to win the first Alberta Sires Stakes final of the 2012 season on Saturday afternoon at Alberta Downs.
Leaving from the trailing post nine for trainer-driver Keith Clark in the $56,600 Alberta Princess Final for three-year-old pacing fillies, Credit Card Junkie settled into fifth off the gate and waited until the third panel before making her move.
Meanwhile, the 6-5 favoured elimination winners, Blue Star Beauty and driver Bill Tainsh Jr., crossed over from the outside post eight to establish the lead during a sizzling :26.4 opening quarter. The duo took a second quarter breather to the half in :56.2 and rolled to three-quarters in 1:25.2 with Credit Card Junkie moving first over.
Blue Star Beauty maintained her lead into the stretch, but Credit Card Junkie was closing in on the front-runner and got up in the final strides for the career-best 1:54.1 victory by a neck. Blue Star Beauty settled for second place honours while Minettas Gidget (John Chappell) closed from the backfield with an impressive :26.4 final frame to show.
Credit Card Junkie paid $7.60 to win as the 5-2 second choice. The Camystic-Best Promise filly now boasts seven wins and six seconds in 13 starts during her debut season. She has banked $60,362 so far in her career for Alberta owners Clark and partners Doris McDougall of Cochrane and Verne Rea of Calgary.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.