Alberta's glamour boys headlined Sunday afternoon's harness racing card in Lacombe with Cowboy Caper and Outlaw Beacon rounding up the trophies in a pair of $20,000 Adios Pick divisions
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Cowboy Caper and trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt advanced first over from fourth after a speedy :27-second opening quarter in the first division and stalked the pacesetting Cenalta Power (Ryan Grundy) through middle splits of :57 and 1:26 before sweeping to a two and a quarter length victory in 1:56.2. Favourite Smooth Criminal (Jim Marino) rallied three-wide around the final turn to place while early trailer Lilshakerboomboom (Jeff Stone) came on for third. Cowboy Caper paid $19.80 for the upset win.
Hoerdt shares ownership of the Brandons Cowboy-Prom Miss gelding with Blair Corbeil of Beaumont and Calgary's Peter Morris and Roque Consultants Inc. The win was Cowboy Caper's fourth in 14 starts and pushed his bankroll to $37,958.
Outlaw Beacon and Jim Marino established the lead off the gate from post three in the second split and rolled past panels of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.2 before opening up five lengths into the stretch. The 5-2 second choice cruised home for a three and a half length score in a career-best 1:55.1 while Playbook (Bobby Clark) rallied wide from the backfield for the runner-up spot and Stirling Advocate (Hoerdt) came on for third. Outlaw Beacon returned $7.40 to his backers.
Lance Ward trains and co-owns the Blue Burner-Billie J Blue Chip gelding with Edward Dhoedt and the Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, and William Exelby of Sherwood Park. The win was the first for Outlaw Beacon's new connections and his third in 15 lifetime starts. He now boasts a bankroll totalling $41,270.
Between the stakes divisions, Hoerdt's River Lass tripled up in the $8,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace as she sat fifth early on and then blew by the field in the stretch to an overpowering six length tally in 1:55.2. The 1-2 favourite paid $2.90 to win. Doober Hoozzitz (John Chappell) and Minettas Nightstar (Bobby Clark) finished second and third, respectively. The five-year-old As Promised-Brass Buttons mare is owned by Hoerdt and Corbeil.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.