Freedoms Rescue ($15.60) was fastest of 19 three-year-old pacing colts and geldings to face the starter in Sunday afternoon's (July 15) Alberta Marksman eliminations at Century Downs, pouncing from the pocket to upend odds-on favourite Custards Laststand in 1:54.3.
In the first $7,500 elimination (race one), Custards Laststand and trainer-driver Kelly Hoerdt, who took second in the $45,700 Alberta Plainsman behind Exit Smiling, brushed from third after a :28.3 first quarter to take over from early leader Freedoms Rescue. After turning aside a mild first-over challenge from Amboy Duke (Phil Giesbrecht) on the the final turn after middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26, Custards Laststand found himself in the crosshairs of Freedoms Rescue after David Kelly angled him off the pegs at the eighth pole.
Freedoms Rescue ground down Custards Laststand to win by three-quarters of a length, while the ground-saving Mystery Coz (Clinton Warrington) improved late to take third.
Freedoms Rescue, a gelded son of Freedoms Pass, earned his fifth career win for trainer Glenn Lutz and owners William and Dianne Neish.
The second elimination (race two) saw Outlaw True Grit ($11.60) wire his six foes, rating sensible splits of :29.1, :58.2 and 1:27 before not only keeping the first-over Mortgage My Villa (Nathan Sobey) just at bay, but also parrying a three-wide charge from eventual runner-up In For The Chase (Ryan Grundy) by three-quarters of a length to prevail in 1:55.4. Trainer-driver Rodney Starkewski shares ownership of the Blue Burner gelding with Clauzette Byckal.
Screen Test ($4.60) was the lone favourite to convert in the Alberta Marksman eliminations, doing so in the third split (race four). After Brandon Campbell and Screen Test took command through a :28.4 first quarter, they yielded to pocket rival Yankee Up (Jamie Gray), who maintained the pace while under pressure through a :57.4 half. After Yankee Up shrugged off a stern challenge from Tap The Keg (Rodney Hennessy), Screen Test made his move off the pegs nearing the eighth pole. The gelded son of Vertical Horizon was driven clear by three lengths through the final sixteenth of his 1:54.4 win. Snap Test (Sobey) saved ground and finished third.
Trainer Dan Sifert co-owns and bred Screen Test, now a four-time winner, with William Andrew.
The top three finishers from each elimination compete in the $55,000 (added) final next Sunday (July 22).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Century Downs.