With the track upgraded to fast for the $10,000 Brad Gunn Stakes eliminations in races eight and nine, both three-year-old winners earned new speed badges and one set a track record on Sunday afternoon at Alberta Downs.
Blue Star Admiral wore down the sophomore colt track record co-holder, Premium Attaction, to beat his mark by four-fifths of a second in 1:52.1.
After sitting fifth early on while Lisvinnie (Rod Hennessy) and Alberta Plainsman champion Premium Attaction (Kelly Hoerdt) traded turns on the lead through fractions of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:22.4, Blue Star Admiral powered home to win by more than two lengths. Bill Tainsh Jr. drove the Camystic-Movin Uptown colt for trainer Glenn Lutz and owners William and Dianne Neish of High River, Alta.
Blue Star Admiral was followed under the wire by favourite Premium Attaction, Lisvinnie, Beren Hanover (Keith Clark) and Tatsu (Travis Cullen) to round out the top five finishers.
The winner returned $7 to his backers as the 5-2 second choice.
No Fear also shared the former colt record, which he set in last year's Brad Gunn, while 1:50.2 is the overall sophomore male record to beat, which was set by gelding Clintons Escape in 2010 and also stands as the all-age track record.
Favourite Tip Top Tap delivered on his pari-mutuel promise in the other elimination, scoring a 1:53.3 front end victory for trainer/driver Rod Hennessy and Edmonton owner Lorne Duffield.
The Camystic-Tapioca Hanover colt posted fractions of :28, :58 and 1:26 en route to the two and three-quarter length victory, his first this year, over Senga Nanjeing (Ryan Grundy). Brenin (Jamie Gray) finished third while American Venture (Keith Clark) and Big N Bad (Brandon Campbell) earned the final paycheques.
Tip Top Tap, a runner-up in the June 23 Alberta Plainsman Final, paid $5.10 to win.
The $50,000 (guaranteed) final will take place next Sunday, July 21 at Alberta Downs.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.