Northlands Park rolled out the red carpet for two-year-old pacers Friday evening as the rookies waged war in four divisions – two for the girls and two for the guys – of the Premiers Stakes.
National Debt equalled the track record for colts when he toured the oval in 1:55 en route to capturing his $25,000 division for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt. The son of Allamerican Native-Our Inheritance sat just off the speed through panels of :27.4, :57 and 1:25.1 before delivering a :29.2 closing quarter. That was good enough to earn him the win by 6-3/4 lengths over Jet Tracker, with Pass The Port taking home third prize.
Sent off as the 1-5 choice in the nine-horse affair, National Debt matched the mark set by Raysmidnightcall on November 23, 2008. Hoerdt shares ownership on the talented youngster with partners Blair & Erna Corbeil of Beaumont, Alberta. The $17,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale is now 4-for-4 to begin his career. He’s tucked away $21,750 in earnings to date.
Ghost Pine bounced back from a tough loss to take the other division in an eye-catching clocking of 1:55.4 for trainer/driver Kelly Hoerdt. The son of Badlands Hanover-Just Sassy, who broke and finished seventh in his previous outing at Alberta Downs, sat second to the quarter pole before brushing to the front and leading the field through middle fractions of :58.2 and 1:27.1. He sprinted home in :28.3 to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Blue Eyed Cowboy, with Sonic Spark taking home the show dough.
Hoerdt shares ownership on the rookie with Blair Corbeil, and together they’ve watched the colt put together a 5-2-1 record from nine starts. He’s also managed to bank in excess of $25,000
Rummys Command turned a two-hole trip into the richest payday of her career thanks to her winning effort in the first of two $25,000 divisions for the fillies. Trainer/driver Keith Clark mapped out the winning trip for the daughter of Cams Card Shark-Streisands Place, who watched Blue Star Escape carve out fractions of :29.1, 1:01 and 1:29.2. Rummys Command used her :28.3 kicker to win by three-quarters of a length over Blue Star Escape, with race favourite Triple Action third best in the seven-horse tilt.
Clark owns the freshman with Robert Jones of Slave Lake, Alberta, and together they’ve watched the filly assemble a 2-2-2 record in her first eight assignments. She’s already put more than $21,000 on her card this season.
Clark – just as Hoerdt did with his colts – swept the filly category thanks to a win with Shark Festival in the second division. The daughter of Shadow Play-Shark Fest, turned a two-hole of her own into a 1:56.4 victory. She watched Nighttraintovegas hammer out intervals of :28, :57.2 and 1:26.3 before going on the attack. Shark Festival rallied home in a :30-second clip en route to notching the win by 3-1/4 lengths over race favourite Nighttraintovegas in 1:56.4. Sweet Sugar took home third prize.
Clark shares ownership on the speedy lass with Harvey & Ann Jaeger of Okotoks, Alberta. The homebred has faced the gate eight times this season and Friday’s victory helped her improve her record to 5-2-0. It also helped her bump her cash stash to $35,375.
On the undercard, GTs Jerilyn front-stepped to a 1:56.3 tally in the $9,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. The four-year-old daughter of As Promised-G Ts Kaitlyn led through fractions of :28.1, :58.3 and 1:27.1 before using a :29.2 closing quarter to seal the deal. It was 1-1/2 lengths back to runner-up Credit Card Junkie, with Just Saucy finishing third.
Brandon Campbell engineered the winning trip with the Gerald McGinn trainee. McGinn shares ownership on the career winner of $63,751 with Terry McGinn and Marjorie McGinn of Stony Plain, Alberta.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Northlands Park.