The 2025 season opener at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday, March 23 was a resounding success, with The Light Speed and Rideau's defending driving champion Guy Gagnon headlining the night by capturing the $10,000 Preferred Pace, while trainer Mandy Archer notched the first training triple of the season.

The 10th and final race of the card saw an early duel for the lead between Full Horse (Stephane Brosseau) and Stonebridge Hermes (Jacques Beaudoin). Stonebridge Hermes gained control, setting the opening quarter in :27.1, but the even money favourite, The Light Speed, quickly surged to the front and dictated the rest of the fractions, hitting the marks in :57 and 1:25.3, before crossing the wire first in 1:54.3, winning by three-quarters of a length. Light The Torch (Pascal Berube) finished second, with Stonebridge Hermes rounding out the top three.

The Light Speed, a seven-year-old Moon Beam - Jayma gelding, is trained by the two-time O'Brien Award of Horsemanship winner Guy Gagnon, and owned by Michel Nolette of Princeville, Que. This victory marks the pacer’s first of the 2025 season, bringing his career win total to 61 with $12,530 in seasonal earnings and $445,989 in lifetime earnings.

It was also a standout night for trainer Mandy Archer, who secured her first training triple of the year. She kicked off her hat trick with Arson Seelster ($11.10) in Race 2, driven by Robert Shepherd, then quickly followed up with Logan Behold ($2.10) in Race 3, piloted by Guy Gagnon. Archer and Shepherd once again teamed up in Race 7 to complete the triple with Prospectors Gold ($30.10).

Archer, Rideau's 2024 leading trainer, ended last season with 99 wins and $548,850 in earnings. On opening night, she sent out seven starters, all of whom brought home a cheque, positioning her well in the 2025 standings with $15,704 in seasonal earnings.

Before the start of the card, the horsemen and women at Rideau Carleton Raceway gathered to pay tribute to Hunter Myers, who tragically passed away on Thursday, March 20, from injuries sustained in an accident at The Meadows on Wednesday, March 19.

Live harness racing will take place every Sunday with post time at 6:30 p.m. through the end of the meet on Dec. 14. Racing on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. will be added in mid-April and continue until mid-November, with the exception of a race date on Thursday, Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. To view Rideau Carleton Raceway's complete 2025 race date schedule, click here.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)