Three-year-old male pacers Comes Home First and Blue Eyes Cowboy, both sired by Brandons Cowboy, dominated Sunday afternoon's $10,000 eliminations for the Alberta Sires Stakes Marksman leg at Alberta Downs.
Comes Home First, the second favourite in the first field, followed Sonic Spark (Travis Cullen) through fractions of :26.2, :55.3 and 1:24 before overtaking that foe in the stretch and drawing off by three and a half lengths for the 1:53.2 victory. Sonic Spark stayed for second while longshot Incognito Cowboy (Keith Clark) kicked home from the backfield to secure third place honours six lengths behind.
Jim Marino drove the Brandons Cowboy-Cinderella Cam colt to his fourth win from 10 starts this year for trainer Lance Ward and the J J J Stables of Aldergrove, B.C. Comes Home First now has over $50,000 banked in purses this season thanks in large part to his Brad Gunn Stakes victory and runner-up finish in the Alberta Plainsman Final earlier this year.
Leaving from post eight, favourite Blue Eyed Cowboy and driver Bill Tainsh Jr. took over command past the :27.4 opening quarter and carved out middle splits of :56 and 1:25.4 with early leader Sotally Tober (Jamie Gray), the Alberta Plainsman champion, moving back out to challenge. However, Blue Eyed Cowboy unleashed :28.1 final quarter speed to draw three and a quarter lengths clear. He was victorious in 1:54 with longshot Son Of Anarchy (Rod Hennessey) coming on for second over Sotally Tober.
Blue Eyed Cowboy was last year's Super Final champion and now has three victories in 10 seasonal starts with $22,250 added to his winnings. The Brandons Cowboy-Eicarls Blue Eyes gelding is owned and trained by Rod Starkewski of Lamont, Alta.
The $50,000 (added) final of the Alberta Plainsman will take place next Sunday, August 24 at Alberta Downs.
In this week's $8,400 Open Handicap Pace, Who Doesnt overcame his outside post seven assignment, advancing first over after getting away fourth, to notch his seventh consecutive win in 1:53 for trainer/driver Travis Cullen and co-owners Jeanne, Kenneth and Jodie Cullen of Glenboro, M.B. Glenn Lutz trainees Revolver (Brandon Campbell) and Blue Star Admiral (Bil Tainsh Jr.) finished second and third after sitting one-two for most of the mile.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.