ABSS Diamond and ABSS Marksman preview

Some of the top three-year-old harness racing horses will showcase their talent when the ABSS Alberta Diamond and ABSS Alberta Marksman finals go down at Century Downs on Saturday (June 3).

RACE 8: ABSS ALBERTA DIAMOND THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLIES FINAL – $56,600

1. CAVIAR N CRACKERS (2-1)
2. BEEP BOP A LULA (4-1)
3. MY LITTLE CHLOE (10-1)
4. CENALTA TOKEN (12-1)
5. HANDCUFFED (20-1)
6. PROMISE KEPT (6-1)
7. SHESMYINSPIRATION (8-1)
8. RISKOFTHUNDERSTORM (10-1)
9. FESTIVEUS (5-2)

AE1 NONVERSATION

Caviar N Crackers (Captive Audience) had the fastest elimination time with a 1:54.3 mile. She also draws the inside post position and will team up again with Phillip Giesbrecht. The duo closed last week’s mile with a 28.1 final quarter-mile time. It was also Caviar N Crackers’ first win of 2023, but it won’t be the last. Giesbrecht and Caviar N Crackers will likely have the early option to set the pace, and once the tandem gets to the front end, it could be game over.

Beep Bop A Lula (Vertical Horizon) won her elimination in 1:56.1 and earned a new lifetime mark. She will come out of post position two, and the key to victory will be to follow Caviar N Crackers out at the start of the race. Her slightly slower time does not concern me, as my sources say the track will play a bit slower this week. David Kelly will push his filly right to the end in this one.

I will nod to Festiveus (Vertical Horizon) to round out my top-three selections. She finished second behind Caviar N Crackers and was able to keep up throughout the race. She will come from the second tier and could easily position herself behind Caviar N Crackers or Beep Bop A Lula. Michael Hennessy is coming off a historical drive from last week with Shark Week and will look to use that same magic with Festiveus.

Trey’s Picks: 1-2-9

 RACE 10: ABSS ALBERTA MARKSMAN THREE-YEAR-OLD COLTS & GELDINGS FINAL – $59,600

1. YOU SO SIRIUS (12-1)
2. CATFISH JACK (4-1)
3. VIRTUAL HORIZON (4-5)
4. OPULENT DRAGON (10-1)
5. MICKIE MANTLE (5-2)
6. TIN CAN TIMMY (10-1)
7. MISTER MOOSE (8-1)
8. FIVE STAR DRAGON (20-1)
9. PONDER NO LONGER (6-1)

AE1 CENALTA DURAMAX

Virtual Horizon (Vertical Horizon) is coming into the Marksman Final with a four-race winning streak. His 1:53.3 mile was also the fastest elimination time last week and was good enough to be a new personal best. Virtual Horizon will have Brandon Campbell on the bike, and the duo will look to continue their perfect season. Virtual Horizon will be hard to catch if he can duplicate his 28.2 final quarter time. He has earned the 4-5 morning line odds.

Ponder No Longer (Smart Shark) had an impressive win during his elimination heat. He had a nice pocket trip until late down the stretch and out his nose in front. He paced the mile in 1:55.1 and had a final quarter mile of 28.3. He will come from the trailer position to be in the perfect place for a pocket-like trip in the last.

Mickie Mantle (Custard The Dragon) is the last remaining elimination winner, yet to be discussed. He, too, had an early pocket trip but made an early move to take the lead and never looked back. His mile time 1:54.4 was good enough to be a new lifetime mark and was the second-fastest ABSS Alberta Marksman elimination time. Mickie Mantle is the second-highest lifetime earner in the field and has some of the most racing experience. It would be hard to keep him off my betting stub.

Century Downs has eleven races slated to go on Saturday. Post time is 1:15 p.m MDT.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink