The new harness meet began at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Friday and Miss Coco Luck was the star of the opening night feature race.
Trainer Jack Parsons kicked off the 2014-15 meet sweeping the early Daily Double with Robert Robinson's Tymal Patriot ($16.40), in rein to Mike Horner, and Samuel Taylor's Miss Mach ($23.90), driven by Lorne House. Both Mach Three pacers scored their first wins of the year in front-stepping fashion.
Miss Coco Luck ($6.60) later won the featured $7,500 Preferred 3 Handicap for filly and mare pacers in 1:57.4 over the 'good' track with Alfie Carroll aboard for trainer Blake MacIntosh. The four-year-old homebred Camluck mare sent her earnings over the $100,000 mark with her eighth career win for owners Dan and Kim Sergeant of Straffordville, Ont.
The race favourite went wire-to-wire while turning back mid-race challenger Insincerity. Miss Coco Luck won by two lengths over late-closers Rain Cloud Hanover and Samillion Dollars.
In a $3,000 Racing Under Saddle wagering race held during the Friday night card, Lexus Hawkeye ($4.50) defeated the stubborn Radical Dreamer, eventually pulling four lengths clear down the stretch for the 2:04.3 score.
"It’s an unexplainable thrill,” said rider Natalie Elliott of winning her second RUS event in a row aboard the Amigo Hall gelding trained by Pam Forgie and owned by John Patterson. “I really hope that [Racing Under Saddle] continues to grow. I’ve had so much fun doing it. It’s a close group of girls and we hope it grows. Everyone seems to love to cheer and come out and support us.”
Lexus Hawkeye's connections were joined by four generations of racing fans for the win photo.
Live racing returns to the London, Ont. oval on Monday with first race post time set for 6:15 p.m.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway.