Clowns Smile was beaming Saturday after his win in the featured $40,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine
Racetrack.
Trained by Casie Coleman and driven to victory by Mark MacDonald, Clowns Smile beat out his four rivals for his second seasonal score in eight outings. Bolero Charles (Rick Zeron) took off from Post 4 while MacDonald settled his charge into the two-hole as they approached the first quarter in :26.2. Attempting to reach the million-dollar mark tonight, Eagle Luck (Jody Jamieson) moved up for the challenge from third and reached the front by the half in :54.4. That one led the way to the third quarter in 1:23.3 as Clowns Smile, the heavy 6-5 favourite, moved into the outside passing lane. Sprinting home in :26-seconds, Clowns Smile fought for the win finishing in front by a head in a season’s-best 1:50 flat.
Eagle Luck finished second leaving him only $4,100 short of the million while Raw Energy (Steve Condren) rounded out the top three.
A five-year-old gelded son of Grinfromeartoear, Clowns Smile picked up his 17th lifetime win pushing his earnings to $334,233 for owners Steve Calhoun and Michael Lindley of Chatham, Ont. and Ellis Bryant Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky.
In the four-year-old Open Pace, Legal Litigator (Jason Brewer) was fast away from Post 5 reaching the first quarter in :27.1, but Final Curtain, driven by Jody Jamieson, made a quarter pole move from third and closed the curtain on his foes. With at least two lengths on the field, he powered past the half in :55.2 then reached the third quarter check in point in 1:23. A :27.2 final frame was all he needed to secure the victory. The 3-5 race favourite stopped the clock in 1:50.2 finishing two and a half lengths ahead of Legal Litigator. Mcapulco (Steve Condren) closed well to grab the show dough.
The Tracy Brainard trainee sired by Pro Bono Best scored his first win of the season and 12th of his career. Owned by Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, Florida, Final Curtain pushed his earnings over the $200,000 plateau with the win.
Both MacDonald and Jamieson drove three winners on the 11-race program.
Click here to view Saturday's results.