It marked four wins in a row, but Sunday's Alberta Bred Futurity was by far the most lucrative one for KR Crusin Cartel from the Kyler Racing LLC. The horse is by Carters Cartel out of the great mare American Girl by Hawkinson American Girl was a former Canada Cup winner.
"It is kind of bitter-sweet," said Mary Kyler. "Ed worked so hard with all the breeding, and now he's not here anymore. (Ed Kyler passed away in 2012.) "Lethbridge is kind of like home to me and we find some market for our horses.
"I still live in Cascade, Montana. I have a small ranch there." KR Crusin Cartel is part of Kyler Racing's Alberta breeding program and is trained by Laurie Ferguson. Sunday he was ridden by Trevor Simpson.
In a shocker for punters, Red Defense stormed down the stretch to take the seven-furlong, $9,700 Open Stake. The chestnut gelding is owned by Ted, Richard, David and Cecil West and is trained by William Leech.
Recently claimed from Jaqueline Smith, Red Defense is by Redattore, out of Air Defense by Flying Conthental and was bred in California.
Air Defense left Riley Rycroft's Keene On Demand behind in a drive down the stretch. The backfield read like who's Who of RMTC horses, with Londinium third, Careless Hunter suffering it first loss of the Spring in fourth and Dubla Gold fifth..
The Birdrattler family has been making its appearance felt with Dallas Douglas Birdrattler training Big Fat Storm to the top of the pile in the sixth race, a five and a half furlong affair. Big Fat Storm, as the clouds threatened just that overhead, paid 14.60, 7.90 and 3.60.
Tyler Walker making his return a notable one as he brought Riley Rycroft's Better Knickers in on top in the $7,158, 300-yard, Alberta Bred Futurity Consolation. The horse is owned by Lewis Mailer.
Saturday, with two scratches in the All Canadian Open Futurity, Living Sweet was doing just that as he beat the six-horse field, with its $7.350 purse.
The Albertans own Living Sweet, with Buckey Stockwell training the two-year-old, who recorded its third win in three starts, this time with Jose Rocha aboard. Living Is Sweet is by One Sweet Jess out of Excessive Living by Salt Lake and is a California-bred colt.
The $2 Triactor of 8-2-4 in the Open Futurity paid $156.40.
One of the trainers, watching a fellow trainer run a quality horse in a claimer Saturday stated: "This is one way to get underneath those Rycroft horses from the big city (Northlands Park). It looks like a pretty good idea - so far." Another trainer said the only way to win is to choose your races properly.
"There are trainers in Edmonton with more than 100 horses, so what the Rycroft's are doing is playing it smart," said another trainer.
In the opening race Saturday William Leech's SR Big Tim Sass came in on top of the heap and paid $47.70, 11.00 and 6.50.
The Alberta Community Thoroughbred Racing Association's Man of the Year, Marv Christensen and his partner Richard Aldoff won the six furlong sixth race with KR Streakin Version, trained by Allen Goodsell.
Owner and trainer Debbie Cunnington had jockey Scott Sterr rub her horse's halter for luck and it almost paid off as Dr. Mackee ran a superb race and finished a close second in the eighth Saturday.
BEHIND THE STARTING GATE . . . There was a pall throughout the RMTC when it was learned the general manager of Bullys, Rose Rossi, was dealing with the death of her father, Vincenzo, aged 90 . . . Certainly the horse racing community feels for her and offers their condolences . . . Jockey Laurina Bugeaud came through with a winner Friday night aboard Singleinthelast, after leaving the riding behind the past year or so . . . 86-year-old Stan Marks racked up his fourth win of the Spring, with Caesar's Son in Sunday's fourth race . . . Randy Cunningham, another former RMTC rider, now turned to training saw his horse Mr. Beamer won the fifth race to pay 28.40, 6.60 and 3.40 . . . Two busloads of American agricultural tourists flooded into Whoop-Up Downs Friday night and hit the parimutuel windows and the bazar with gusto . . . If you want to see a scramble - that's why they call it a candy scramble - then get a load of those kids fighting to fill their cups with candy as the treats rain down . . . Trevor Simpson leads the jockey's parade with 35 wins, while Larris Allen has 21 . . . In the training division Lyle Magnuson has 20 wins, three ahead of Riley Rycroft, while William Leech had 10 . . . Next racing at Whoop-Up Downs will be June 26-28, post time Friday is 6 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. on the weekend.