In another close call, Katherine B held on to win her third straight Preferred event on Saturday night (May 7) at Flamboro Downs.
Katherine B was a wire-to-wire winner (:28.1, :58.3, 1:27, 1:55.4) in Saturday's featured $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Pace as she held off first over challenger Pinky Tuscadero and Mike Horner by a head for trainer Gord McDonnell and owner E. Thomas Knight of South Woodslee, Ont. Nick Steward picked up the catch-drive on Katherina B as the seven-year-old mare's regular partner Alfie Carroll opted to drive the Richard Moreau-trained favourite Jabas Luck, who had fired off the gate from post six to secure a pocket trip and finished third.
Katherine B (Western Ideal-Easton Alliance N), now three-for-16 on the year, has earned 22 wins in her career and $157,841 in purses. She paid $8.70 to win as the 3-1 third wagering choice.
Making her debut from the Moreau stable, second choice Lucky Cocktail ($6.60) won the $7,500 Preferred 3 distaff event off a front-end trip of her own in 1:56 with Carroll aboard. She forged on to clear 3-2 favourite and eventual third-place finisher Pictonian Sareta at the quarter pole and later held off the wide-rallying Jenna Casimir by three-quarters of a length. The four-year-old Camluck-Cocktail Raider mare, who has earned 10 of her 12 career wins this year, was claimed in her last start on April 21 for $18,000 at Rideau Carleton Raceway by owner Bruno Lepage of Beauharnois, Que.
The Alliance Spring Series kicked off on Saturday with $6,000 eliminations for $12,000 claiming pacers that are non-winners of $30,000 lifetime. The winners from the fillies and mares division were the double-gaited Pureform Olympia (1:58.4) and Rhondas Example (1:58.3) while 10-1 upsetter Jetster (1:58), Attaboyaaron (1:56.3) and The Duke Of Zorra (1:56.3) were victorious in the male set. The $12,000 finals will be held on Confederation Cup Day (Sunday, May 15) at Flamboro.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Flamboro Downs.