Silver Eagle overcame an outside starting spot and journeyed first over to prevail in the $50,000 Brad Gunn Stakes for three-year-old Alberta owned, sired or foaled pacing colts Sunday afternoon at Alberta Downs
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Elimination winner Silver Eagle landed the five-hole after leaving from post position eight with Bill Tainsh Jr. in the sulky while the other elim winner, Bachelor Pad and Gerry Hudon, headed to the front of the field from post position four during a speedy opening quarter.
Bachelor Pad lead the way past fractions of :26.4, :56.3 and 1:25.1 while Silver Eagle launched his attack and advanced on the outside with Hollywood Warrior (David Hudon) following his cover.
The elimination winners hooked up in a heated battle as they turned for home, with Silver Eagle getting the upper hand halfway down the stretch. He then held off a rallying Hollywood Warrior to win by a head in 1:53, missing his lifetime mark by one-fifth of a second. Battle River Storm (Jeff Stone) closed well from the backfield to show while Bachelor Pad faded to sixth.
Silver Eagle paid $3.40 to win as the odds-on favourite. Lance Ward, a three-time winner on the card, trains and co-owns the son of Brandons Cowboy-Allamerican Viking with Joe Tinelli of St. Albert, Alta. and the Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, Alta. Siver Eagle has won 11 of his 18 seasonal starts including his Adios Pick division and the Alberta Plainsman final. The lion’s share of the purse pushed his 2011 earnings over the $100,000 mark while his career bankroll climbed to $117,988.
Sunday afternoon’s harness racing card also featured a pair of $25,000 Emerald Filly Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies in which Tainsh Jr. made his first of three consecutive trips to the winner’s circle on the day.
After getting away fourth with Blue Star Beauty ($5.50) from post position six, Tainsh Jr. sent the As Promised-Whitesand Secret filly to the top and never looked back en route to a six length triumph in 1:57.3. Doug Stout trains the winner, who is undefeated in two starts, for Derek Stout of Camrose, Alta.
Prairie Illusion ($4.50) won her division in wire-to-wire fashion, stopping the clock in 1:58.3 for trainer-driver Keith Clark. The Mach Three-Twin B Magical miss is now two-for-three in her career for Clark and co-owners Robert Jones of Slave Lake, Alta. and Doris McDougall of Cochrane, Alta.
With Bells On ($3.20) wired a field of four in this week’s $8,800 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, winning by three lengths in 1:55. Kelly Hoerdt trains, drives and owns the five-year-old daughter of Emery Flight-Tooting, who has won five of her six last starts.
For results from Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.