Ripped And Ready lived up to his namesake on a fast track at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday evening (June 16).

Leaving from Post 6 in the $10,500 Preferred Trot, Ripped And Ready got away in the four-hole when the gate said go. Sitting fourth through fractions of :27.3 and :58.1, the five-year-old trotter pulled first up for a 1:26.1 third quarter. He charged on to pull ahead by four, and ultimately won the race by two and a half lengths over Black Tie Bash (Robert Shepherd) and Cheque The Magic (Ted McDonald). Final race time clocked 1:55.1 with a :28.4 last quarter.

Ripped And Ready is by Muscle Mass out of the Striking Sahbra mare Cumin First. Driven by Pascal Berube, the victory is the fourth on the season of six starts for trainer Thierry Vandenplas and owner Dr. Ruth Irving. Ripped And Ready did not miss the board in his other two starts with two close seconds. In his career, Ripped And Ready has accumulated $181,916 with 16 wins in 48 starts.

A statement was provided from Rideau Carleton Raceway's General Manager Peter Andrusek regarding simulcast and wagering on Thursday evening:

"At approximately 1 p.m., Rideau Carleton was hit by a number of lightning strikes which knocked out many of our racing facilities including our teletimer, satellite broadcasting equipment, judge's terminal, and backstretch feeds.  By post time, those failing systems had eroded our confidence to properly operate pari-mutuel wagering and ensure the integrity of the pools for our patrons.

"In consultation with Ontario Racing and the NCRHHA, it was decided that Rideau Carleton would proceed with the live card of racing for purse money only. While I regret the inconvenience this situation may have caused some; assuring our customer's confidence when wagering on our product is not something that RCR would ever compromise.  As for our horsepeople, in appreciation of their financial circumstances, we felt compelled to allow them to race.

"Live racing at Rideau Carleton Raceway returns Sunday, June 19 with a first post of 6:30 p.m.”

To view Thursday’s results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Rideau Carleton.