Lucky Cocktail wore down pacesetter Duncs Diamond in the final strides to steal the spotlight in the $10,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 Handicap Pace featured at Georgian Downs on Saturday night (June 11).
Duncs Diamond fired to the lead from the outside post six and carved out panels of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.1 before feeling heavy pressure from Lucky Cocktail, who had launched her first over bid approaching the half-mile mark. In a battle to the wire, Lucky Cocktail gained the slight advantage for the neck victory in 1:54.3. Travis Henry drove the four-year-old daughter of Camluck, who paid $7.30 to win. Eve Marie Seelster finished two lengths behind in third after sprinting home from the back of the pack.
Lucky Cocktail is now a 12-time winner this year and is three-for-five since being claimed in late-April at Rideau Carleton Raceway for $10,000 by Bruno Lepage of Beauharnois, Que. The Richard Moreau trainee equalled her lifetime mark that she had taken in her last Preferred 2 victory a month ago over Flamboro Downs.
Making her debut for new connections off a claim, Ninette B ($10.20) fanned wide off cover and charged down the homestretch to win the $7,500 Preferred 3 in 1:55 flat for driver Alfie Carroll and trainer Victor Puddy. The six-year-old Stonebridge Regal mare was claimed for $12,500 on June 6 at Mohawk Racetrack by Gordon McDonald and Christopher Boland, both of Ottawa, Ont.
The Alliance Spring Series continued on Saturday night for $6,000 claiming pacers with Bob McClure driving three of the four second-leg winners. McClure was victorious with Deucette ($4.80), You Mach Me Crazy ($3.60) and Lively Freddie ($6.20), while the other division went to Ok Iceman ($2.60) and Carroll. Duecette, You Mach Me Crazy and Ok Iceman were all repeat winners in the series, while Lively Freddie had missed by just a neck to Ok Iceman last week.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.