A group of eight lined up behind the starting gate for Thursday’s $13,000 Preferred Pace at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and GD Airliner extended his winning streak to three-in-a-row for Team Allard

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GD Airliner got away third for driver Simon Allard, who watched Cajon Thunder and Firethorn battle to the quarter pole in :26.4 before the latter won the early skirmish for the top spot. Allard was on the move in the second quarter with GD Airliner, who was parked by Firethorn past the mid-way point in :55.3. GD Airliner eventually muscled his way to the lead, and after ripping past the three-quarter pole in 1:23.2 the gelding used a :28.2 closing panel to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Firethorn in 1:51.4 – the nation’s fastest mile of the season for a pacer on a five-eighths of a mile oval. Outrageous Art rounded out the to three finishers.

Trainer Rene Allard co-owns the four-year-old son of Panspacificflight-Mackenzie Beth with Howard Taylor, Abraham Basen and Gilles Fleury, and the partnership watched the 11-time winner boost his bankroll to $220,756 with the win. The Allards had three wins, respectively, on the card.

The second leg of the Spring Fling Series also went postward during Thursday evening’s card, with Olivias Way scoring a half-length decision over week-one winner, Cndiana Jones, in 1:55.3.

Olivias Way and Rock Belle exchanged punches to the quarter pole in :27.3 before the latter worked to the position of command. Rockin Belle proceeded to lead through middle panels of :58 and 1:26.2 while feeling pressure from the parked-out Cndiana Jones. Olivias Way and driver Stephane Brosseau found some racetrack to work with in the lane, and her :29-second closing panel earned her the narrow tally over Cndiana Jones and race favourite Rockin Belle.

Sent off at odds of 7-1, the Marcel Barrieau-trained three-year-old daughter of Shanghai Phil-This Much Is True produced her second win of the season in five tries for the Hudson Standrdbrd Stb Inc of Hudson, QC. The homebred, who is now a six-time winner, bumped her lifetime cash stash to $30,104.

To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.