Wins have been tough to come by in recent weeks for pacing mare Regal Luck, but a change of scenery on Saturday evening helped breathe some life back into the struggling distaffer.
Sent off as the 7-5 favourite in the $7,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 at Flamboro Downs, Regal Luck got away third for driver Scott Young while Conata slipped to the front and threw down fractions of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:26.3. Young came first-over with Regal Luck in the backstretch, and the mare eventually muscled her way to the front. She used her :29.2 closing kick to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Conata in 1:56.1. Justabit Mean rounded out the Triactor ticket.
Bred, owned and trained by John Smith, Jr., Regal Luck now boasts a 6-8-4 record from 35 trips to the track this season. The 18-time winner is just shy of $165,000 in career earnings. She’s packed away more than $65,000 of that total this year.
An accident shortly after the horses left the starting gate in Saturday’s fourth race resulted in the ORC Judges declaring it a ‘no contest’.
Lyonsgingerninja was being hustled off the gate by driver Vincent Langdon, but in her bid for the lead she rolled off stride. Bad At Redhot and driver Joe Hudon were crossing over behind the breaker, and struck the wheel of the breaking horse. Vincent Langdon was dumped from his bike as a result, and Lyons Gingerninja galloped at full speed between horses in the first turn.
The ORC Judges promptly declared the race a ‘no contest’ and the horses were pulled up by their drivers.
Langdon and Lyonsgingerninja came away from the accident with no serious injuries.
To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results – Flamboro Downs.