Trainer/driver Keith Clark won three of five Alberta Sires Stakes Alberta Princess divisions for three-year-old filly pacers featured on Saturday at Grande Prairie
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Clark’s Sealedwithapromise converted a perfect pocket trip into a 1:58 victory – the fastest of five – in her $17,267 division. The daughter of As Promised out of Seely Bert tracked the favoured Pretty Promised (Bill Tainsh, Jr.) through panels of :28.2, :58 and 1:28 before sprinting home in :29.4 to win by a length. Pretty Promised stayed for second and Arielle Pass (Jamie Gray) held for third.
Owned and bred by Clark, MacPherson Standardbreds of Edmonton, Verne Rea and Laurence Swalm of Calgary, Alta., Sealedwithapromise scored three wins and three seconds in six starts earning $75,250 last year. The win was her first of the season in three outings.
Laughs Last also turned in a winning performance for Clark in her split. The As Promised – Laugh And Shout filly advanced first-up from third at the third quarter station and used a :29-second final frame to win in 1:58.2. Promisinggoodnews (Jeff Stone) finished three-quarters of a length back in second off a pocket-trip while the pacesetting Nazko Finally (Gerry Hudon) finished third.
Ikey Kolias of Calgary, Atla. owns and bred the winner of $18,823, who has put together a record of 4-2-1 in seven starts this year.
Clark’s other win came aboard Lady And Thetrench, who sat comfortably in third for most of the mile before using a 29.1 second final quarter to come on in late stretch for the win in 1:58.4 by a neck over A Special Lady (Bill Tainsh, Jr.). Thats Witty (John Chappell) was third.
The daughter of Armbro Trench – Cambests Lady has posted three wins and a second in five ’09 starts. The four-time winner, who was a $7,000 Alberta Yearling sale purchase, has earned $34,810 in her career for Clark and co-owners Pat Elynuik and John Hind of Calgary, Alta.
In the first $16,967 non-wagering division, Western Bee front-stepped her way to a five-length score in 1:58.3 for trainer/driver J.F. Gagne. Pureform Aurora (Brandon Campbell) was the runner-up with Hf Agent Nintynine (Jeff Stone) finishing third.
Unraced at two, the As Promised – Flaming Princess filly improved her record to 4-1-0 in six starts for the Ringneck Enterprises Ltd. and James Sutherland of Calgary, Atla. Her career earnings now total $15,607.
With Brandon Campbell at the lines, Arctic Flame reached up for the lead past the quarter pole and fended off a first-over challenge by Action Ready (Keith Clark) to win her $17,267 division in 2:00.2 by two lengths. Renata M (Jamie Gray) and Gts Lizzy (Bill Tainsh, Jr.) finished second and third.
The win improved Arctic Flame’s record to 6-2-1 in 10 outings this year lifting her bankroll to $27,586. The Dole Hanover – Alpine Mist filly, who is trained by Harold Haining for Ralph McNalley of Sherwood Park and Terry Nowicki of Edmonton, Alta., won for the seventh time in her career pushing her bankroll to $41,445.
In the weekly $11,000 Open Pace, Smart Shark pulled off his fifth consecutive score for trainer, driver and co-owner Connie Kolthammer. The five-year-old Cams Card Shark – Smart Dialing ridgling carved out all the panels en route to victory in 1:56.1 by two lengths. Barona Ferrari (Mike Hennessey) and Timberline Court (Gerry Hudon) were second and third best.
With seven wins in 13 tries this year, Smart Shark has earned $37,451 for the Outlaw Stable of Falun, Alta. His 12th lifetime score bumped his bankroll to $93,281.
To view Saturday’s results from the special non-wagering card, click here. For regular results, click here.