Rene Allard pupils swept the top four spots in the $39,200 Prospector Claiming Series, adding to an already impressive Saturday night for Canada's leading trainer
at Georgian Downs. The series is for $12,500 claiming pacers that are non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of Mar. 15.
Smokin N Grinin, driven by Anthony MacDonald, pulled the pocket after the :27-second opening quarter and took over control from her stablemate Life Of Ease (Simon Allard). The four-year-old grey Grinfromeartoear-Smokin Pistol mare was never seriously threatened from that point on as she cruised through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:23.3 en route to a 1:51.4 victory, her fifth consecutive and fastest by far. Life Of Ease finished two and three-quarter lengths behind while first and second over Holdmybeer (J.R. Plante) and Whatsthurraymurray (Billy Davis Jr.) finished five lengths back in third and fourth.
The time of the mile was one second off the track record for aged pacing mares, held by Invitro and Dreamfair Eternal.
Smokin N Grinin paid $4.90 to win for the sixth time in 11 seasonal starts. The winner of $44,255 this year is owned by Allard and the Litwin Racing Team of Westmount, Que. Her lifetime earnings climbed to $83,565.
The win was one of four on the 10-race card for Allard while driver Simon Allard also won four (two for trainer Richard Moreau and two for his brother).
For results from Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.