Driver Richard Simard engineered a 20-1 upset aboard Caroluzzo in the $6,950 Winners Over Handicap Trot on Sunday night (November 27) at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
While the parked out Unabating (Guy Gagnon) pursued 30-1 pacesetter Collector Classic (Jacque Beaudoin) through panels of :28, :57.4 and 1:28, Caroluzzo had a ground-saving trip in fifth. When Raising Richard (Rheo Filion) rallied wide outside Unabating to no avail, Caroluzzo improved to third inside then tipped out at the top of the stretch to trot past the leaders. He won by two and three-quarters lengths in 1:59.1 while pocket-sitter Heres The Magic (Stephane Lareau) edged out Collector Classic for the runner-up role. Favourite Unabating finished eighth.
Caroluzzo, a seven-year-old chestnut son of Musclesextrodinair out of Sardula, is trained by Daniel Martin and owned by breeder Michael Cote Gagnon. He earned his seventh win of the year and 25th lifetime to push his bankroll over the $100,000 mark.
Caroluzzo paid $42.80 to win, but wasn't the only longshot victor of the night. Trotting mare Jewels In The Sand ($71, Sylvain Lacaille) posted the biggest surprise in the first of 13 races on Sunday, holding off 6-5 favourite Ifihadabrain (Karl McFarland) by half a length in 2:00.1 to give Kelly Duval Lacaille her first career training win. Jefferson Tare ($56.30, Jacques Beaudoin) and Confident Fella ($40.30, Clarke Steacy) also posted double-digit upsets.
The co-featured $6,800 Winners Over Handicap Pace went to 7-2 shot Meersburg ($9), who gave up the lead to 7-5 favourite Bazinga Brad (Louis-Philippe Roy) at the quarter-pole and then came back on down the homestretch to win by one length in 1:56.4 for trainer/driver Ted McDonald and owner Julie Ferguson of Greely, Ont. The win was one of a dozen this year for the five-year-old Sand Shooter-Belize gelding.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.