The field for the final of the Alberta Marksman is fittingly filled with harness racing's versions of cowboys, outlaws and renegades.
Century Downs hosted a pair of $10,000 eliminations on Sunday afternoon for the second Alberta Sires Stakes event of the season for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with the top finishers paving the way for a western-themed showdown next weekend.
In the first elimination, the Brandons Cowboy colt Johnny Gun went wire-to-wire to win in 1:56.2 by two lengths over Royal Renegade. Gerry Hudon drove the winner for trainer Harold Haining and owner Donald Richardson.
Johnny Gun, the opening leg Alberta Plainsman champion and 8-5 second choice in his elimination, swept around early leaver Gray Glory to take the lead at the :28.1 opening quarter mark and then cruised through middle splits of :56.3 and 1:25.4 while keeping slight 6-5 favourite Pablos First at bay from first over. Johnny Gun dug in down the stretch to fend off his foes and score his second win of the season in 10 starts. Royal Renegade had flushed out cover in the form of Pablos First while advancing from the backfield and then ducked down to the pylons before coming through for second-place honours ahead of Pablos First. Chillinlikeavillin finished fourth.
Another son of Brandons Cowboy, Cool Cowboy cruised to a two-length triumph in 1:55.4 over Outlaw Deacon Jim in the second elimination for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt and co-owners Blair Corbeil and Witsend Consulting Inc.
Cool Cowboy, the 3-1 second choice off a two-month layoff, forged to the front over Hollywood Redneck through a :28.2 first quarter and continued to lead the field past the half in :57.3 and three-quarters in 1:25.4 with a three-length advantage. Withflyingcolours moved into second with 6-5 favourite Urcutoff cutting into Cool Cowboy's lead first over and Outlaw Deacon Jim fanning off his cover. But Cool Cowboy kept his cool in the stretch and prevailed for the third time in seven sophomore starts. Outlaw Deacon Jim finished second over Urcutoff, while Big Time Sunrise came on for fourth.
In Open action, the Cullens' stable star Who Doesnt returned to his winning ways and kicked home in :28.4 off a pocket trip for a 1:53.3 triumph over last week's upset winner, Get Thereovernight. Life Signature came in third and Ghost Pine, the race leader through fractions of :28.1, :56.3 and 1:24.4, finished fourth. The win was part of a training triple on the 11-race card for Travis Cullen.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.