Timberline Court and Barona Grizzly were the dashing $25,000 Albertan elimination winners on Saturday afternoon at Northlands Park.
Yukon Trail winner Timberline Court and driver Gerry Hudon sat in third as the 7-5 fan favourite, Gravel Crusher (Mike Hennessy), carved out early fractions of :27.3 and :56.2. Hudon tipped his charge out and advanced before the third quarter mark of 1:24.4, taking the lead in the stretch and drawing away by over three lengths for the win in 1:53.4.
G Ts Triple J (Bill Tainsh, Jr.) closed well for second and Strong Signal (Mark Bradley) nabbed the show spot. Killean Cut Kid (Kelly Hoerdt) was fourth.
Hudon trains and co-owns the With Held gelding with R Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie, Alta. Unraced at two, Timberline Court sports a record of 6-1-1 in nine starts and $76,701 in earnings.
Driven by Keith Clark, Barona Grizzly sprinted to victory in his elimination.
The As Promised gelding sat in third as the 3-5 Hoerdt entry, Life Of Rocknroll (Jeff Stone), set the pace with hot opening fractions of :27.2 and :55:3, but made his winning move when he took over the lead after the half. Barona Grizzly pulled away by four lengths as he passed the third quarter station in 1:24.1 and kept on rolling with strong final effort, winning by over 12 lengths in 1:53.
Tainsh worked out another runner-up trip in rein to Rays Edge and Bradley finished third with The Candy Man. Kg Mattmajor (Rod Hennessy) was fourth.
Barona Grizzly picked up his sixth lifetime win and increased his earnings to $72,432 for trainer and co-owner Richard Schneider and co-owners David Halmosi of Edmonton and Dick Schneider of Sherwood Park, Alta.
The Albertan is restricted to Alberta-owned, foaled or sired pacers.
The top four finishers from each elimination advance to the Albertan final, which will be contested on Saturday, October 25.
Northlands Park also hosted a pair of $30,000 Miss Edmonton divisions for the fillies.
Converting from a second-over trip, Rossridge Divine found the front before the third quarter station and sprinted home for the 1:54.4 win by five and three-quarter lengths for trainer/driver Jamie Gray and owner Robert Murphy of Surrey, B.C. The time set a new mark for the bay filly, who went off at odds of 7-1.
The early pacesetter, Bette Blue Chip (Bradley) stayed for second and Modern Legacy (Keith Clark) finished third.
Unraced at two, the As Promised miss pulled off her third lifetime score, bringing her bankroll to $43,899.
Tainsh and trainer Travis Umphery paired up for their third victory on the card with A Ps Money Maker in the second Miss Edmonton division.
Although the 3-1 Cardmaster Hanover filly posted the opening panel, she surrendered the lead to the even money post time favourite, Shark Fest (Keith Clark), who led through the following panels. Once the field turned for home, A Ps Money Maker popped the pocket and took off by two and a half lengths for the win in 1:54.
Shark Fest finished second and Bedrock Motel (Kelly Hoerdt) was third.
The Golden Garter and Alberta Rose winner, who is owned by Terry Hamilton of Lethbridge, Joe Tinelli and the Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, Alta., now has eight wins to her name and $172,644 in earnings.
To view Saturday's results, click here.