by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, February 27, 2005… Lucky For Her and Paradise Of Grins got the job done Sunday afternoon at Woodbine, as the C$18,000 second leg of the Ontario Girls Pacing Series for four-year-old mares was contested over the Toronto oval.

A 9-1 shot in the six-horse opening division, Lucky For Her ($21.90, $8.50, $3.80) and driver Rick Zeron cut the mile and hung on for a head victory in 1:53.4.

Also co-owned and trained by Zeron, Lucky For Her (Camluck—Her Odyssey) laid the speed down in :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.2 before coming home with a :27.2 final quarter.

Taking a pocket trip and getting flushed out by the third call, Dreamcometrue ($4.90, $3.20) was first-over in the lane, but ended up completing the $106.00 exactor after failing to collar the pacesetter. In rein to Chris Christoforou, Simply Lucky ($2.40) had come first-up from fourth after the half and sat second-over in the lane. Eventually finishing 2¾-lengths in arrears as the wire was met, Simply Lucky bottomed out the $302.40 triactor.

Along with Zeron, Ontario’s Paul Marion and Ginette Gregoire hold Lucky For Her’s ownership papers.

Having tipped first-over from third before the half, Paradise Of Grins ($14.80, $6.40, $3.00) and driver Roger Mayotte acquired the lead in the stretch during the second division and went on to post a three-quarters of a length victory in 1:54.3.

Going off at odds of 6-1, Paradise Of Grins (Grinfromeartoear—No No Paradise) took a full seven seconds off of her life’s mark with the performance.

Driven by Mike Saftic, Alls Well ($4.00, $2.40), who was interfered with in late stretch, bottomed out the $45.40 exactor. With Mark MacDonald at her lines, Briars Luck ($2.40), who had originally finished 1¼-lengths back in fourth, was placed third after Charlottes Isis (Rick Zeron) was placed fourth due to a lapped-on break at the wire.

The triactor returned $167.90.

Conditioned by Cal Campbell for Vancouver, British Columbia’s William Boden, Paradise Of Grins now has 2-0-2 record this season after five starts.

The C$54,000 (estimated) final of the Ontario Girls Pacing Series is scheduled for next Sunday, March 6 at Woodbine.