Two-time preliminary leg winner Star Photo found himself 10 lengths off the lead in seventh early on, but the star trotter made up the deficit to get his photo taken after a career-best mile in the $22,250 Raindrop Series final at Rideau Carlton Raceway on Friday night
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Lily Of The Valley, driven by Thomas Dalborg, left from post six in the nine-horse field and worked his way to the top during a :29-second opening panel. As the field raced in front of the grandstand for the first time, Capo Dolce and Simon Allard made a move and swept from fourth to first before the :59.1 half.
Capo Dolce fronted the field down the backstretch, but Erge Baboche and Denis St. Pierre began to advance from fifth with the popular Katies Victory and John MacDonald following suit and the Robert Robinson-trained and driven Star Photo moving third over.
Erge Baboche cleared to command at the 1:29.3 third quarter mark, but the lead would change hands one more time as Star Photo rallied three-wide and came charging down the lane in :29.2 to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.3, recording his first sub-2:00 mile. The 3-1 third choice paid $8.40 to win. Following two and three-quarter lengths behind Erge Baboche in third was Katies Victory.
With just one small blip in his early six-race career, Star Photo has banked $24,461 for owners Stephanie and Brian Cassell of Gloucester, Ont. The chestnut Classic Photo-T V Star Kosmos gelding, who was purchased for $6,500 at the New Jersey Classic Sale, won two opening round divisions of the Raindrop to keep his record perfect in his first four career starts, but finished fourth in the following leg of the series.
The Raindrop Series is for non-winners of $15,000 (fillies and mares $18,750) lifetime as of Dec. 31, 2011.
Trainer Rene Allard won three of the 13 races Friday evening.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.