Plainville, MA — After assuming an unfamiliar position on the front end, Lucky Weekend turned it into an easy victory in the $20,000 Winners-Over Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Friday (May 21) afternoon.

Lucky Weekend controlled the terms en route to victory in Friday’s feature at Plainridge Park. Tom Melanson photo.

After five straight starts racing from off the pace at Plainridge, driver Shawn Gray sent Lucky Weekend to the point and then capitalized on his decision. After getting to the half in an unchallenged and unhurried :58.1, Lucky Weekend’s first pressure came from the outer flow of Pappy Go Go (Drew Monti) and last week’s winner, Smooth Aceleration (Matty Athearn).

With the competition now at his flank, Lucky Weekend sped up the third quarter to :28.1, rebuffing Pappy Go Go which then sent Smooth Aceleration three wide in the last turn. As they headed down the lane, Smooth Aceleration’s bid fell apart as well, and the one horse left to argue was the pocket-sitting Only Passing Thru (Wally Watson). But Lucky Weekend was not to be denied, trotting away to a 2-1/2-length win in a new seasonal mark of 1:55.

It was the third win in the last five starts for Lucky Weekend ($6.00), who surpassed $250,000 in lifetime earnings. Now boasting an account of $259,060, the 5-year-old altered son of Lucky Chucky and Weekend Vacation is owned by the Jesmeral Stable and is trained by Sheena McElhiney.

In the secondary featured $12,500 conditioned trot, Make It A Double (Matty Athearn) lived up to his name by taking his second straight win on Friday. After leaving from post three, Make It A Double set fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:27 before turning for home and stretching his lead to 3-1/2 lengths and a 1:56.1 victory.

It was the 19th lifetime win for the 6-year-old Make It A Double ($11.40) who is owned by William Phipps and Gretchen Athearn, who also trains the winner.

Once again, Shawn Gray led all drivers for wins with three on the card.

There was a huge payoff in the ninth race Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager. Despite the heavily favored Winding Hill winning (1:56.2, $3.80), the 2-1-4-6-5 pentafecta combination returned $18,842.76 for a 20-cent wager.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (May 24) with a 4 p.m. post.