Three-year-old Alberta stakes stars Da Magician and Outlaw Fireball closed out the Canada Day harness racing action at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino with victories in a pair of $60,000 Breeders Stakes finals.
Owned, trained and driven by Edmonton's Serge Masse, stakes specialist Da Magician dominated his foes in the $60,000 Brad Gunn final for three-year-old pacing colts with his leading margin expanding into the double-digits as he sauntered home over the sloppy track.
With the inside post advantage, Mateo (Jim Marino) took the lead off the gate while 8-5 co-favourite Da Magician fired out from post six into a pocket spot where he remained through opening panels of :28.2 and :58.2. However, Masse made his move down the backstretch and the Dragon Again-Hottie Hanover gelding swept to command, reaching three-quarters in 1:27, and then widening to 11-1/2 en route to the 1:55.1 victory. Mateo finished second and Getup Gideon (Philip Giesbrecht) was third.
Da Magician completed a sweep of his elimination and the final of the Brad Gunn, paying $5.30 to win.
The talented colt's bankroll climbed over $150,000 and he now boasts 10 wins in 21 races lifetime, including all eight of his stakes starts.
Outlaw Fireball closed out the Canada Day card winning the $60,000 Meridian Farms final by a neck after a duel with Wedding Dance for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Marjorie Dumont.
Wedding Dance (Jim Marino) led the field of three-year-old fillies through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.2 and 1:28.3. Outlaw Fireball moved out from third at the half to confront the pacesetter and wore her down in a photo finish for the 1:57.3 triumph. Steady Breeze (Kelly Hoerdt) finished one and a quarter lengths behind in third off a pocket trip.
Outlaw Fireball, who is undefeated in the Alberta Sires Stakes program, was sent postward as the 3-5 favourite and paid $3.40 to win. She now has three wins in four sophomore starts, with her only loss this year a runner-up finish in the June 24 eliminations.
A career winner of eight races and over $150,000 in 13 starts, the Blue Burner-Watchasgirlsgoby filly is owned by Gagne, Peter Van Seggelen of Foothills, Alta., Carl Warnaar of Kelowna, B.C., and Tapron Holdings Ltd. of Heritage Pointe, Alta.
The same connections also opened the Saturday card with a victory as Tajmeallover was a repeat winner in the $9,500 Mares Open, circling a compact field of four in 1:56.1.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.