Favourites Bachelor Pad and Silver Eagle dominated a pair of $11,250 Brad Gunn eliminations for three-year-old Alberta owned, sired or foaled pacing colts on Sunday
afternoon at Alberta Downs with wire-to-wire performances while a two-year-old track record fell earlier on the card.
Trainer-driver Gerry Hudon sent Bachelor Pad to command from Post 4 in the first elimination and cruised past panels of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:27 before opening up four and a quarter lengths on the field to secure the career-best 1:54.2 triumph. Western Chrome (Keith Clark) followed from the pocket for second while Battle River Storm (Bill Tainsh Jr.) came on for third.
Bachelor Pad paid $3.80 to win. The son of Brandons Cowboy-Duplex, last year’s Battle of Alberta champion, has won three times in eight starts as a sophomore including his Adios Pick division. The chestnut gelding was purchased for $26,000 at the ASHA Yearling Sale by Hudon and partners, Monica Hudon of Edmonton, Alta. and R. Lynn Kowalevsky of Airdrie, Alta. His career earnings surpassed the $100,000 mark this afternoon.
Driver Bill Tainsh Jr. sent the Lance Ward-trained Silver Eagle to the front of the field from Post 2 in the next elimination and led every step of the way en route to a 1:54 victory. Hollywood Warrior (Gerry Hudon) came on for second, finishing three and a quarter lengths behind, and Red Star Tiger (Jamie Gray) rallied from last to show.
Silver Eagle paid $3.50 to win for the third consecutive time. This year's Adios Pick and Alberta Plainsman champion has recorded 10 wins and five seconds in 17 seasonal starts. The gelded son of Brandons Cowboy-Allamerican Viking, who has earned almost $93,000 lifetime, is owned by Ward, Joe Tinelli of St. Albert and the Shir Win Racing Stable of Edmonton, Alta.
In other action, Smooth Criminal entered the Lacombe record books with his 1:58 romp in the third race maiden contest. While making his career debut for trainer-driver Connie Kolthammer and the Outlaw Stable of Falun, Alta., the son of Blue Burner-Gunslingin Gal eclisped Wrangler Bignrich's two-year-old gelding record of 1:59.2. The new gelding mark is two seconds off the overall male record for freshmen, set by Brad Gunn starter Western Chrome last year in the Horizon Pace.
After sweeping a pair of ASHA Breeders eliminations for fillies on Saturday, Hall of Fame horseman Keith Clark scored a training-driving triple during the nine-race card.
For results from Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Alberta Downs.