Saunders wins three stakes on Fall Classic card
Trainer Dale Saunders had a huge Fall Classic Day at Northlands Park on Saturday, winning three of the seven $50,000 stakes races restricted to Alberta-breds. He also finished second in the last two stakes on the 11-race card.
“It was a pretty good day,” said Saunders. “It would have been pretty spectacular if the last two could have won.”
Saunders had a lot to celebrate. He also won his 2,000th race on Friday night with Indian Love.
“It’s been a very special weekend,” he said.
Brady’s Tomboy was his first winner for Saunders in the $50,000 Fall Classic Distaff. She paid $9.70 as the second choice in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares.
With Scott Williams aboard, Brady’s Tomboy stalked the early pace before taking over the lead coming out of the second turn. She was immediately put under pressure by 4-5 favorite Smile Again Theta and they raced as a team until Brady’s Tomboy drew off in midstretch to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Forty Eight Cash finished a distant third.
The final time was 1:45.51.
Shannon Beauregard rode Blameitontheknight to a front-running win in the Alberta Oaks for Saunders. She set honest fractions of 24.01 and 47.96 seconds, took a seven-length lead into the stretch, and cruised to an eight-length romp over Wild Deuces. Almost Ninety rallied to finish third.
The complexion of the race changed dramatically when heavily favored Queenoftheforest, who was expected to set the pace, broke poorly. The Greg Tracy- trained Queenoftheforest moved into contention after six furlongs before fading to finish sixth.
The final time was 1:40.10.
Wild Legend gave Saunders the hat trick in the Alberta Breeders’ Handicap for 3-year-olds and up. He paid $5.50 as the second choice behind For Cash in the 1 1/16-mile race.
With Scott Williams riding, Wild Legend dueled with Barfly’s Survivor through honest fractions and after disposing of Barfly’s Survivor on the backstretch, he was immediately tackled by For Cash. It looked like For Cash was the winner on the stretch turn, but Wild Legend repelled the bid and drew off to win by 1 1/2 lengths. For Cash finished eighth lengths clear of Wild Crush, who rallied to finish third.
“I wanted to have him closer to the pace than he has been in his last few races,” said Williams.
The final time was 1:44.42.
Saunders came close to winning his fourth stakes when Water Wagon finished second to Timeless Tales in the Beaufort.
Timeless Tales paid $23.30.
Trained by Ryan McLean, Timeless Tales was a maiden going into the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds.
Victory Day closed out the 11-race card with a front-running win over the Saunders-trained Go Wild in the Alberta Premiers Futurity.
Trained by Tim Rycroft, Victory Day was the only favorite to win on the card. He paid $5.80.
He was ridden by Rico Walcott.
The final time for the 6 1/2-furlong sprint was 1:20.25.
Kilohana upset heavily favored Tiny Giant in the Red Diamond Express. He paid $15.60 for his four-length win in the 6 1/2- furlong sprint.
He was ridden by Shannon Beauregard, who put him on the lead coming out of the gate. He was under pressure from Tiny Giant before taking complete control of the race on the stretch turn.
The final time was 1:17.28.
Kilohana is trained by Jerri Robertson .
Rico Walcott brought Onestaratatime from a stalking position to win the Sturgeon River Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 5 1/4 lengths.
She paid $8.30.
Onestaratatime is trained by Greg Tracy.