Trainer-driver John MacDonald sent Capt Jack Hanover to a milestone victory in a $7,746 optional-claiming pace on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Vernon Downs as part of his trio of winning pupils.

With MacDonald at the lines, Capt Jack Hanover blew away his three rivals over the sloppy track, extending his advantage at the quarter in :27.1, half in :56.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.4 on the way to a 6-1/2-length triumph in 1:53.3. Deebo Hanover (Mark Whitcroft) was best of the rest, followed by Bolt The Court (Chris Long).

Capt Jack Hanover notched his 50th win from 166 career starts, moving to 12-for-31 on the year for owners Michael Kessler, Speed To Burn Racing Stable and MacDonald. The six-year-old Captaintreacherous-Current Hanover gelding has won six of his last seven starts, pushing his earnings to $427,341. He paid $2.10 to win.

MacDonald trainee War Of Will won the $10,563 featured optional-claiming pace. He sat third behind panels of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.1, then switched out in the stretch for his trainer and powered to victory by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:53.2. Gold Star Sven (Steeven Genois) showed late pace to finish second. Merrow (Chris Long) was third best.

War Of Will, a seven-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous-Wishfor Rocknroll, is owned by J P Stables. Saturday's win was his seventh this season in 32 outings and his 26th career victory in 149, bringing his lifetime bankroll to $233,644. He paid $10.04 to win.

MacDonald, whose other winner was Ny Jim ($2.60), is now fifth and seven wins back of the leader in the Vernon trainers' standings. After his entrants went three-for-four on the 11-race card, he is 34-for-145 across all tracks on the year for a 24.1 per cent win rate.

Real Lucky N made no mistakes after the good fortune of a second-over trip, sailing to a two-length score to extend his winning streak to six. The venerable 14-year-old son of Real Desire-Lucky Pocket was fifth to the quarter in :29, then took cover past the half until :59.3 until Look Mcgook (Steeven Genois) cleared. Leon Bailey hustled Real Lucky N past that foe after three-quarters in 1:29.2, and the gelding cruised home in 1:58.4. Nolaughingstock (Aaron Byron) was second, followed by Butcherstop Buck (Chris Long).

Real Lucky N, less than two months away from mandatory retirement, has won six races in a row and seven of his last eight and has a seasonal record of 12-for-33. Trained by Joe Sansone for Julianna Edwards and Kevin Reynolds, the gelding tallied his 65th career win and upped his earnings to $624,611 in his 328th outing. He paid $2.76 to win.

Leading driver Leon Bailey had a grand slam on the program. Two of his wins were for trainer David Dewhurst, who took the lead from Gary Gibson in the standings with a weekend to go in the meet. He is up 39-38, with Michelle Warner third on 36 wins. Dylan Huckabone-Miller drove three winners on Saturday.

Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday, Nov. 13 with a post time of 5:05 p.m.

(With files from Vernon Downs; photo of Capt Jack Hanover winning on Sept. 1, 2025)