Alberta-bred stakes dominate Sunday card

Sunday figures to be the biggest day in terms of attendance and handle at Century Downs this year. After all, there are nine stakes races restricted to Alberta-breds on the 10-race Fall Classic Day card, which begins at 1:45 Mountain.

The first two races are Quarter-Horse stakes headed by the $61,182 Alberta Bred Futurity for 2-year-olds going 350 yards.

Thoroughbreds get started in the third race with the $50,000 Alberta Premier’s Futurity. Each Thoroughbred stakes is worth $50,000.

The 6 1/2-furlong Futurity drew four horses, with the Craig Smith-trained Dune d’Oro the probable winner.

The son of Atreides lost his debut at Century Mile by a neck to Bare Back Jack, who came back to win the $56,000 Birdcatcher at Century Mile on Aug. 25. Dune d’Oro romped in a maiden special weight race for Alberta-breds in his next start on Aug. 24. The 53 Beyer Speed Figure he received stands out in the field on Sunday.

Dune d’Oro will break from the rail with Rico Walcott up.

Smith also has an excellent chance of winning the Sturgeon River for 2-year-old fillies with Music At Work.

The daughter of Cape Canaveral could end up favored in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, which drew seven horses. Music At Work followed up her third-place finish in the $51,000 Princess Margaret at Century Mile on Aug. 25 with a bullet four-furlong move at Century Downs on Sept. 6.

Pearl Of Knowledge looks like the main threat. Trained by Greg Tracy, she easily won her debut and came back to finish second against the boys in the $59,000 City of Leduc.

Also by Cape Canaveral, Pearl of Knowledge finished sixth in the Princess Margaret, but she broke a step slowly and then took a funny step going down the backstretch before finishing with some late interest.

The multiple stakes winner For Cash is the class of the party and will have speed to run at in the Red Diamond Express for 3-year-olds and up. The 2013 Zia Park Derby winner, he should get up in time in the 6 1/2-furlong dash, which drew five horses.

Rico Walcott rides For Cash for trainer Dale Greenwood.

Miss Hesi, who won the Sturgeon last year, looks like the one to beat in the 1 1/16-mile Alberta Oaks.

Burnin’ Pockets is going for the hat trick in the Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds. Claimed back by trainer Rod Cone, he is coming off a four-length romp going a mile in a $20,000 claimer at Century Mile on Aug. 10.

If Smart Fix runs as well as she did in winning the $85,000 Northern Distaff by four lengths at Century Mile on Aug. 17, she will win the Fall Classic Distaff, which drew 12 horses.

However, the Jerri Robertson-trained 6-year-old has just one third-place finish from six starts at Century Downs and she drew the outside post where she could lose valuable ground going into the first turn in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Shimshine, trained by Elige Bourne, will be trying to catch the Craig Smith-trained Zippity Zap in the Alberta Breeders’ Handicap.