Century Downs hosted a stakes-filled program Monday afternoon with two-year-old pacers of the Alberta Sires Stakes program being the stars of the show.
Colts and geldings clashed in a trio of $18,467 divisions of the Alberta Rising Star while the fillies butted heads in a three-pack of $18,767 Alberta Starburst splits.
Outlaw Gettinrdone turned a two-hole trip into a 6-1 upset in his division of the Alberta Rising Star. Bill Tainsh, Jr. treated the colt to a garden trip behind Canelo through first-half-fractions of :29 and 1:00. Outlaw Gettinrdone popped off the rail in the third quarter and took over command shortly past the three-quarter pole in 1:28.2. A :30-second kicker was enough to propel the youngster to the win by one-quarter of a length over race favourite Keep Coming in 1:58.2. Cenalta Eclipse took home third prize.
Rod Starkewski trains the son of Blue Burner-Outlaw Wind Dancer for Alberta partners Walter Moroz of Edmonton and Willie Wychopen of St. Paul. It was a maiden-breaking score for the career winner of $12,233.
Tainsh and Starkewski joined forces to win the second division, as well, with Classy Artist in a time of 1:59. The colt shadowed Wrangler Cash through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.4 and 1:29 before shaking loose and using a :29.3 kicker to win by three-quarters of a length over that foe. Outlaw Kismet was a distant third.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, the Trust The Artist-Ding Gua Gua colt broke his maiden for Starkewski and partner Tony Chan of Sherwood Park, AB. The rookie has banked more than $10,000 to date.
After a pair of runner-up performances to start his career, Blue Star Jet broke through his first win thanks to a 1:56.4 score in the final division. Trainer/driver Rod Hennessy was parked at the quarter pole with the gelding before eventually stuffing him into the garden spot. The youngster watched Trustee lay down fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:27.2 before sprinting out of the pocket and roaring home in :29.1 to win by 6-3/4 lengths over Trustee. Race favourite Outlaw Turn N Burn was third.
Hennessy shares ownership on the career winner of $15,216 with Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, AB.
Divas Dragonfly got things rolling for the fillies in the Alberta Starburst, as the daughter of Mystery Chase-Midnight Diva was a front-stepping winner in the opening division. Jamie Gray had the freshman on the lead through intervals of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:28. She only needed a :32-second closing panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Clintons Memory in a career-best clocking of 2:00. Third prize was earned by Cuttingtothechase.
Meadowlark Farms of Airdrie, AB own the career winner of $20,356 who owns a 2-1-1 record from four trips to the track.
Monstrous was just that in the second division. Jim Marino got away fifth with the filly, and she held that position through first-half fractions of :29 and 1:00. She was parked and driving at the three-quarter pole in 1:29.1, and from there she used a :29.1 kicker to win by a pair of lengths over Outlawtriggerhappy in 1:59.2. Funkmeister took home a third-place finish in the $18,767 affair.
Darryl Cutting trains the daughter of Allamerican Navajo-Hoosier Pam, who was making her pari-mutuel debut, for Warren Fuller of Sherwood Park, AB. She picked up $9,383 with the win.
Senga Naptha wrapped up the stakes action with a come-from-behind victory for trainer/driver Ryan Grundy. The filly was no better than fifth through early fractions of :27.2, :58 and 1:27.2, but she got airborne late and used a :30.2 closing quarter to win by a half-length margin over Cenalta Artistry in 1:58.3. Joyful Sound rounded out the Triactor ticket.
Sent off at odds of 12-1, the daughter of Blue Burner-Nells Sweet Future won for the first time in two tries for owner Kenneth Gunn of Cochrane, AB.
To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Century Downs.