The trip was a tough one for race favourite Outlaw Fireball in Saturday’s $58,700 ABSS Alberta Diamond, but she survived it and won by a narrow margin for driver J.F. Gagne and trainer Marjorie Dumont.
Outlaw Fireball left from the rail and got away third while Cardinal Rule rushed to the lead from Post 2. Cardinal Rule was on top at the quarter in :28.2, and she was under pressure from Outlaw Fireball at the half in :58.1. They continued their battle to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 before Outlaw Fireball used a :29.1 closing quarter to win by a half-length margin over Wedding Dance in 1:55.3. Outlaw Imahotvixen was third.
Sent off at odds of 6-5, the three-year-old daughter of Blue Burner-Watchasgirlsgoby posted the victory for Gagne and partners Peter Van Seggelen, Carl Warnaar and Tapron Holdings Ltd. With a 4-2-0 record on this year’s resume from just six starts, the nine-time winner upped her lifetime earnings to $181,614 with the win.
Alberta's 2016 Horse of the Year Tajmeallover ($3.10) continued her divisional dominance, clicking for her third straight win in the $9,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace.
Driver J.F. Gagne floated the favoured Tajmeallover into fifth and last in the early going while Nighttraintovegas (Mike Hennessy) posted the :28.2 opening panel and :58.1 half. Gagne angled out Tajmeallover down the backside, prompting Phone Terror (Serge Masse) to commit first over and provide the public choice with some cover. Phone Terror managed to poke a head in front as the three-quarter marker was reached in 1:26.1, but that brush towed Tajmeallover into perfect striking range turning for home.
Gagne tipped Tajmeallover off Masse's helmet around the far turn and claimed command just after the head of the lane. Longshot Lydi Lula Belle (Bill Tainsh Jr.) was following Tajmeallover around that final turn and started to close on the favourite with every stride but the wire arrived just in time for Tajmeallover to win by a head in 1:55.1. Phone Terror stayed for third.
Six-year-old Tajmeallover (Tajma Hall - Watch Over Me) is trained by Marjorie Dumont for owners Gagne, Peter Van Seggelen, Carl Warnaar and Tapron Holdings Ltd. of Alberta and B.C. The win, her fifth this season and 34th lifetime, lifts her lifetime earnings over the $240,000 mark.
Veteran horseman Keith Clark found his way to the winner’s circle with Nightime Cheese in Race 4, and in doing so bumped his lifetime win total to 6,500.
The O’Brien Award-winning trainer/driver has driven in over 31,000 races while racking up close to $35 million in purse earnings along the way.
For the results from Century's Saturday card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results - Century Downs.