Over $460,000 in total purses will be paid out this Saturday afternoon in what will be the biggest day of harness racing in Western Canada, the Alberta Sires Stakes Super Finals at Northlands Park.
Headlining the card are four $75,000 events, one each for the two-year-old colts and geldings, two-year-old fillies, three-year-old colts and geldings, and the three-year-old fillies. The $25,000 Albertan and Alberta Rose for the aged performers also compliment what will be a monumental day of racing at the Edmonton oval.
The two-year-old colts and geldings clash will feature Premium Attaction, who will be looking to rebound from a disappointing sixth-place finish in last week’s Premiers Colt Pace when he took command at the three-quarter mark and looked like he was ready to go on and draw away, before he suddenly broke stride. Driver/trainer Kelly Hoerdt and Premium Attaction will likely again go off as the favourite and if they can avoid another break. Premium Attaction has drawn the rail and is the even-money favourite on the line.
The two-year-old filly clash will see Crackers Hot Shot making her first career start at Northlands Park after putting on pacing clinics at Alberta Downs all summer long. She won five off her first six career starts and has already banked $44,637 in earnings. Driver/owner/trainer Rod Starkewski took his filly wire-to-wire last time, the first time she hasn’t had to come from off the pace, so she is extremely versatile.
Blue Star Beauty and Credit Card Junkie will re-hatch their battle in the three-year-old filly clash. Those two fillies put on a memorable stretch battle in Marquis last weekend when Blue Star Beauty went right to the lead with William Tainsh. in the bike, and kept that lead the entire way. As the field came into the stretch Credit Card Junkie swung to the outside and was gaining with each and every stride until the wire came up, with Blue Star Beauty holding on to win by a neck. Blue Star Beauty drew post position number two with Credit Card Junkie leaving from the far outside post in the eight spot.
In the clash of the three-year-old colts and geldings, Cowboy Caper is out to prove his 15-1 upset of the Maverick last week was no fluke. Kelly Hoerdt took command last week early on and never looked back as Cowboy Caper pulled a shocker, winning by two and a quarter lengths and paying $32.70 for the win.
Flak Jacket put on an exhibition in his elimination for the Albertan last week and he’s the even money favourite in the $25,000 Albertan on Saturday. Flak Jacket won geared down by seven and one half lengths last week and his time was two seconds faster than Greek Ruler, who won the other elimination in a time of 1:56. Flak Jacket has drawn post seven in the field of eight and his biggest competition could be from Timberline Court, should that runner draw in.
Timberline Court was favoured in the Greek Ruler elimination, but tired to finish fifth and didn’t qualify. He is the first also eligible so it will be up to someone else to drop out for him to make it in. Both Trust The Artist and Greek Ruler figure to get some attention at the windows as well, but it will be Flak Jacket who will be favoured.
In the Alberta Rose it will be the amazing River Lass they’ll have to come catch. The speedster has won 30 of her 59 career starts and is in top form coming off a sensational win in the elimination last week against all of these same rivals. Baby You Save Me was coming at River Lass best of all after a wide trip in the middle stages of the race, got up to finish a good second, while Minettas Nightstar finished third after breaking from post nine.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Northlands, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Northlands Park.
(With files from Northlands)