Make Some Luck delivered as the odds-on favourite in the $20,000 James 'Roach' MacGregor Memorial for the husband and wife team of Jody and Stephanie Jamieson to close out Friday's double-header of harness racing at Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park.
The Ontario-based seven-year-old Camluck gelding, in town for the featured Old Home Week stakes events, rebounded from a break in his Gold Cup & Saucer Trial to take the Consolation event by open lengths.
Driver Anthony MacDonald fired Brave World to the lead from post four in a :27 first quarter sprint then hustled to the half in :54.4. Rose Run Quest and Marc Campbell committed first-over from third down the backstretch while the leader scooted away by four lengths on top past three-quarters in 1:23.3. However, 9-5 favourite Make Some Luck and driver/owner Jody Jamieson rushed by from third-over into the final turn and took off to win by open lengths in 1:52.1. Rose Run Quest edged out Avatar J in a photo for place while Brave World faded to fourth.
Make Some Luck paid $5.80 to win. He has won one-third of his nine starts this year, pushing his overall win count to 26 and earnings to $463,352 lifetime.
Czar Seelster, a 35-time career winner including last year's edition of the MacGregor Memorial, was honoured in a retirement ceremony prior to the race. The 10-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal was trained by Gregory Weatherbee and owned by Tammy Johnston of Stratford, P.E.I.
The undercard featured a pair of $13,000 Gold divisions of the Lady Slipper Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
The first division went to Cheeky Cherry, who blew by the favourite before the final turn en route to victory in 1:59.1 for trainer/driver Clare MacDonald and owner Earith Riley.
Favourite Howmac Sabrina established the lead right off the gate and led the field in single-file alignment through opening panels of :30.1 and 1:01.2. At the midway mark, MacDonald made her move with Cheeky Cherry and the Westwardho Hanover filly progressed alongside the pacesetter and gained the advantage on the outside by the 1:30.1 third quarter mark before drawing off to secure the victory. Emilys Angel finished second off a pocket trip while Unapologetically came through inside for third forcing Howmac Sabrina to settle for fourth.
Cheeky Cherry, who notched her third win from 11 seasonal starts, paid $8.20 to win as the 3-1 third wagering choice.
Woodmere Oleksiak turned in a career-best 1:56.4 performance to win the second division for driver David Dowling and trainer Earl Watts.
Sent postward as the 5-2 bettors' choice, Woodmere Oleksiak blasted off the gate from post six and cut the first corner to take the lead ahead of insider Woodmere Tango and MacDonald in a :27.4 opener. The daughter of Articulator proceeded to carved out middle splits of :58.4 and 1:27.4 while extending her lead to nearly four lengths then cruised home for her third win in a row. Windemere Tango held on for second, finishing just ahead of The Devils Cut and Arc Light.
Woodmere Olesiak is now a five-time winner this year after a dozen races. She is owned by Hollis Newson, Debbie Denney, Ric McNutt and Windemere Farms.
The winner returned $6.90 to her backers at the betting windows.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
Congratulations to Make Some
Congratulations to Make Some Luck connections. Especial congrats to Katarina Bosnjak on a job well done. Caretakers don't always get proper recognition but I know Kat is one of the best and it showed. Congrats to Make Some Luck - big win.