B C Fantasy pulled off a 10-1 surprise while earning her crown in the $58,400 Alberta Sires Stakes Alberta Princess final for three-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday afternoon at Alberta Downs
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Favourite Barona Josie (Bill Tainsh Jr.) took control of the field off the gate and posted a :28-second first quarter. Fellow elimination winner Im Sheila (Jeff Stone) brushed up from third to take over command during the second panel, but Barona Josie pulled right back out for the retake at the :56.1 half-mile mark.
Barona Josie opened up four lengths on the field as she paced to three-quarters in 1:23.3, but the backfield sprang to life and closed in on the leading lady as they entered the stretch.
B C Fantasy and trainer-driver Jamie Gray, who sat back in seventh position earlier in the mile, had the quickest closing kick of them all (:28.3) and swept up on the far outside to snag the victory in a career-best 1:54.1 by a head. Im Sheila finished second with Barona Josie hanging on for third.
B C Fantasy paid $22.80 for the upset. Lightly raced at two, the daughter of Brandons Cowboy-Fantasy Girl has won four of her seven sophomore starts and has yet to finish worse than third. She has banked $38,531 this year for owner-breeder James Rhodes of High River, Alta.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Alberta Downs.