Lucky Jim put an end to San Pail's current win streak in the Maple Leaf Trot prep race Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack, while Laughandbehappy put forth a track record equalling performance in the Roses Are Red elimination - both with Jody Jamieson in the bike

.

The Erv Miller trained-Lucky Jim captured his second victory this season, three quarters of a length ahead of 1-5 favourite San Pail in the $50,000 Maple Leaf Trot prep race for aged trotters.

Define The World (Paul MacDonell) took the field to the quarter pole in :28, but San Pail (Randy Waples) was quick to take the front as they entered the backstretch, holding the lead though fractions of :57 and 1:25.3.

Premiere Steed (Sylvain Filion) came first over from sixth past the half, but into the final turn the French mare flushed out Titan Cup runner-up Lucky Jim and driver Jody Jamieson, who was third on the rail.

Sent off at 4-1, Lucky Jim applied pressure to San Pail in the stretch, which proved to be too much for the two-time Maple Leaf Trot winner. Jamieson and his charge got under the wire in 1:52.2. San Pail was second and trotting mare Frenchfrysnvinegar (Keith Oliver) got up for third.

"He's got tremendous speed," Jamieson said following the win. "He's got a different kind of gait compared to most trotters. You have to drive him like a trotter, I know you hear that a lot, but that's the way he is. He's not the most fluid trotter, but he gets the job done."

Around the final turn, Jamieson wasn't confident he was going to find the winner's circle.

"I wasn't optimistic that I was going to reach San Pail when he hit the half in :57 seconds. I would have been happy to finish second," said the Moffat, Ont. resident.

Jamieson also noted that he is unsure of who he will be driving next Saturday.

"The connections told me that if I got along good with him [Lucky Jim] then I might be able to drive him in the final, but I also have Il Villaggio, so we'll see what they do and we'll see what I do," he said.

The son of S Js Photo-Hawaiian Sierra has a lifetime record of 27-11-2 in 57 starts and boasts careers earnings of $1,769,922 for Pennsylvnaia owners David and John Prushnok and William Gregg.

The six-year-old gelding paid $10.70 to win as the second choice.

Since no eliminations were required, 10 horses have advanced directly to the $730,000 Maple Leaf Trot final on Saturday, July 23.

Former Toronto Maple Leaf great Curtis Joseph will be on hand to present the winning connections the highly sought-after Maple Leaf Trot trophy. Fans will be able to meet and greet Joseph from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with the first 500 fans to receive a free commemorative autograph card.

Laughandbehappy pulled off an 8-1 upset in the lone $50,000 Roses Are Red elimination at Mohawk Racetrack later on the card. The Tony O’Sullivan trainee notched her sixth win this year, and equalled A Ps Money Maker’s track record of 1:49.1 for aged pacing mares.

Ultimate Velocity (Rick Zeron) took the mares into the turn and parked Laughandbehappy and Jody Jamieson in the process, which then forced Jamieson to take the lead and the opening panel in :27.

Western Silk (Mark MacDonald) was pulled from third and taken to the front during the second interval and cut the half in :54.3, followed by three-quarters in 1:21.4.

Laughandbehappy angled out from the pocket and in deep stretch secured a one and a half-length victory over Ultimate Velocity. The 3-5 favourite, Dreamfair Eternal (Randy Waples), came on for third.

Jamieson was confident his charge would win from off-the-pace.

"It looked like Western Silk was really hot and I've never seen her like that - she usually likes to settle on a helmet and explode late,” he stated. “It worked out to our advantage that we could catch her down the stretch. When we hit the straightaway I was pretty sure I was the winner, I just wasn't sure where Dreamfair Eternal was. My mare just put her head down and dug in hard."

Jamieson believes that with these classy mares, next week’s final could be record breaking.

"A the half in :54.3, if it's the same conditions, I think we could go faster next week with the three other mares in there [that accepted the bye]. I think they might have a chance to break the track record,” he said. “It's a beautiful night and the track is fast, these horses are the best in the world for their age and sex, it's just a pleasure to get a chance to spin one of them."

The daughter of Badlands Hanover-Zinful has a lifetime record of 26-5-7 in 49 starts and has careers earnings of $399,445 for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Mentally Stable Inc., and Robert Cooper Stables LLC of Florida and Jerry Silva of New York.

The five-year-old mare paid $19.80 to win. Laughandbehappy is one of three mares that move on to the final for O’Sullivan. Blissful Smile finished fourth and Ticket To Rock was fifth.

The top seven finishers advanced to the $385,000 Roses Are Red final joining Anndrovette, Warrawee Koine and Chancey Lady, who accepted a bye to the final based on highest money earnings.

Aged pacers faced off in a $45,000 Open in which the Gregg McNair-trained Aracache Hanover went wire-to-wire in 1:49.4. Sylvain Filion guided the four-year-old son of Dragon Again-Armbro Cachet to victory over favourite Art Professor (Jody Jamieson) and Mach Dream (Rick Zeron).

The win was his 14th lifetime and pushed his earnings to $922,813 for New York owners William Switala and James Martin. Aracache Hanover paid $12.90 for the mild upset.

Here’s how the trotters will line up behind the gate for the Maple Leaf Trot:

1. Il Villaggio
2. Hot Shot Blue Chip
3. Enough Talk
4. Define The World
5. Arch Madness
6. Four Starz Speed
7. Triumphant Caviar
8. Premiere Steed
9. San Pail
10. Lucky Jim

Here’s how the pacing mares will line up behind the gate for the Roses Are Red:

1. Chancey Lady
2. Laughandbehappy
3. Ultimate Velocity
4. Blissful Smile
5. Western Silk
6. Rock N Soul
7. Ticket To Rock
8. Anndrovette
9. Dreamfair Eternal
10. Warrawee Koine
AE. Voelz Hanover

For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.

(With files from WEG)