Killin Me Smalls never threatened in Westerner Handicap

Killin Me Smalls dominated the $50,000 Westerner Handicap at Northlands Park on Saturday in a replay of July 29's Don Getty Handicap.

He paid $2.40 for his nine-length romp over Zippity Zap in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. Zippity Zap was the runner-up by 9 1/4 lengths in the Getty.

The Westerner was the first of four stakes supporting the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Derby.

Ridden by Keishan Balgobin, the two-time Grade 3 winner was in hand early and was never threatened at any point in both races.

In the Westerner he posted interior fractions of 23.79 and 47.59 seconds, held a seven-length lead heading into the stretch and cruised home while widening on the field. As in the Getty, Royal Warrior rallied to finish third.

The final time was 1:43.84.

“When he broke I settled him, at the quarter-pole I moved him, and that was that,” Balgobin said.

It was the third straight stakes win at Northlands for the son of Marcavelly who is trained by Ernie Keller. The $30,000 winner’s share of the purse brought his career earnings to $612,015.

It was Balgobin again in the $75,000 Sonoma for 3-year-old fillies, but he had to work a lot harder aboard Anstrom, who paid $6.40 for her narrow win over Parcam Cowgirl.

Anstrum was stuck on the rail behind a moderate pace set by Parcam Cowgirl until just past the quarter-pole in the 1 1/16-mile race. Balgobin moved her off the rail on the last of three turns, and she finished full of run in the stretch to nail Parcam Cowgirl by a head at the wire.

The final time was 1:46.55.

“Once I got her into the clear I knew I had it,” Balgobin said.

The British Columbia-bred daughter of Rosberg is trained by Monica Russell and owned by Peter Redekop.

Sir Bronx paid $10.70 for his win in the $50,000 Timely Ruckus Stakes for 3-year-olds and up. With Shamaree Muir riding, the 4-year-old son of Bellamy Road held the lead at every call and was able to withstand a late rally from Private Money Game, who came from a stalking position. The margin at the wire was three-quarters of a length.

The final time was 1:17.48.

Sir Bronx is trained by Rick Hedge and owned by Almac Racing Stables.

The same connections won the $75,000 City of Edmonton Distaff with Tara’s Way, who paid $7.80.

Muir had the 4-year-old daughter of Tizway in a stalking positon before taking control of the 1 1/16-mile race at the quarter-pole. She posted a final time of 1:46.34 in her one-length victory over Quality Lane.

“I got her out of the gate and took a quick hold of her,” Muir said. “I let her attack the second half of the race and it proved to be successful.”