Three-year-old pacing fillies and colts were in the spotlight at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino on Saturday afternoon (September 3) competing in eliminations for their second Alberta Sires Stakes event of the season.
Divas Dragonfly, Outlawtriggerhappy and Apple Blossom Time were the top fillies, winning their respective $5,000 Alberta Diamond eliminations.
Meadowlark Farms' popular homebred filly Divas Dragonfly cruised wire-to-wire to win the first elimination of the day by two lengths, with Witch Doctor and Cenalta Artistry following in second and third. Jamie Gray rated the Mystery Chase-Midnight Diva filly through fractions of :29, :58.4 and 1:27.2 en route to the 1:55.4 victory for trainer Carl Archibald.
In the second filly elimination, driver Gerry Hudon made his move with 8-1 shot Outlawtriggerhappy at the :58.3 half-mile mark after Glamorgal and Alberta Princess winner Outlawsurshotshark had traded turns on the front end. The Blue Burner-Gunslingin Gal filly took the lead down the backstretch and raced on to three-quarters in 1:27 with Monstrous pursuing outside but settling for the runner-up role over three lengths behind in the 1:56.1 mile. Rod Starkewski trains and co-owns the winner, who took a new lifetime mark, with Clauzette Byckal. Glamorgal edged out the favoured Outlawsurshotshark for third.
Apple Blossom Time prevailed off a three-hole trip in her elimination, overtaking the popular pacesetter Ba Bye Ceia Later (:28.1, :58.1, 1:26.2) and pocket-sitter Top It Up to win by three-quarters of a length in a career-best clocking of 1:56.1. Brandon Campbell drove the homebred Mystery Chase-R B Ethel Mertz filly for trainer Glenn Lutz and owners William and Dianne Neish.
A pair of $7,500 Alberta Marksman eliminations for the colts were won by Outlaw Turn N Burn and Wrangler Cash.
Race favourite Outlaw Turn N Burn progressed first over for driver J.G. Gagne in the first colt elimination to wear down pacesetter Blue Star Maverick (:28.1, :57.3, 1:25.2) in the stretch and then hold off the pocket-pulling Keep Coming by three-quarters of a length. The Blue Burner-Penny Lace colt, who stopped the clock in 1:55.2, is trained by Donna Sarin and owned by 8113564 Canada Ltd.
In the final elimination, Plainsman champion and 7-1 second choice Wrangler Cash crossed into the two-hole from post seven and tracked the front-striding favourite Blue Star Jet through panels of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26 before defeating that rival by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:55 flat. Trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt co-owns the As Promised-W Jean colt with Blair Corbeil and breeder Dr. Maurice Stewart. Classy Artist rallied wide around stalled cover down the backstretch to come on for third.
The Alberta Diamond and Marksman finals will be held next Saturday, Sept. 10 at Century Downs.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.