U Lucky Guy wins Autumn

Paul MacDonell sent U Lucky Guy straight to the front and never looked back to tally in Saturday evening's $48,100(C) Ontario Sires Autumn Series final at Woodbine. The Northern Luck colt hung on late to edge the late-closing Glitter for Prez in 1:53.3 to take the first-place prize. Ramegade Bruiser was third, beaten by 1 3/4 lengths.

Kevin O'Reilly trained the 3 year old to his second win of 2006 for Pinske Stables and David Hoese. U Lucky Guy paid $16.80 to win. The odds-on choice, Indiana Lucky, made a break early and finished fifth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Rick Zeron won five races, including the natural hat-trick in races two, three, and four on Saturday night at Woodbine.

Yakuza Hall ($9.20) trotted the mile in 1:56.1 in the second racer to kick the big night off for Zeron, followed by GTs J J ($47.50), who paced in 1:52.4 in the third race, and The Drunkard ($8.90), who went 1:51 in the fourth.

Close the Deal ($7.90) paced in 1:52.4 in the seventh race, and Northern Trail ($6.20), the only favorite among the quintet, won the eighth race in 1:51.1.

Zeron did have chance for a sixth victory in the 10th and final dash, but Stonebridge Galaxy was dull and finished fifth as the 8-5 choice.

Mark MacDonald edged closer to his record for the most single-season driving wins on Canadian soil with two victories at Woodbine on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., guided Bolero Loupet ($5.70) to a win in 1:53.3 in the first race, and Blue Burner ($18.80) to a score in 1:52 3 in the sixth, both for trainer Casie Coleman, to give him 691 driving wins in Canada, one shy of the mark he established in 2005.

Before MacDonald's breakout season last year, in which he notched 692 wins from 4,200 drives, Chris Christoforou held the mark (643 wins) during his tremendous 1999 campaign.

MacDonald will have several drives at Flamboro Downs on Sunday before returning to a full slate of mounts at Woodbine on Monday night. (WEG)

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