The team of driver Brett MacDonald and trainer Mandy Archer won four races at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 14, highlighted by a victory in the $10,000 Preferred Handicap Pace.

In the featured event, Early Action was authoritative on the front in a 2-3/4-length romp for MacDonald and Archer. MacDonald avoided creating early action with the gelding, opting to drop him into the pocket to the quarter in :28 before taking the front en route to the half in :56.4. The tempo remained solid to three-quarters in 1:24.4, and Early Action kept himself beyond reach of his rivals as he thundered home in :27.1 to score in 1:52. Jj Xavier (Mike Healey) finished second over Shotgun Jerry (Stephane Pouliot).

Early Action took his first win at the Preferred level since April, stepping up in class after a convincing win against conditioned company last week. The six-year-old Huntsville-Fashion Katie gelding has won five of 21 appearances this year for owners Jamie Copley of Kenmore, Ont. and Kimberly Eaton of Brockville, Ont. He is 22-for-89 lifetime and has earned $710,843.

The Preferred win came in the middle of four straight victories for the MacDonald-Archer combo. The streak began with Bettor B Home Soon’s ($3) win in the fourth race in 1:56.4 and was followed by victories with Allstar Playboy ($2.40) in 1:52.4, Logan Behold ($4.30) in 1:53, and Early Action. MacDonald added two more consecutive wins by taking the eighth race with the Jacob Copley-trained Captainofrocknroll ($2.80) in 1:52.2 and the ninth with Wellworththewait ($7.10) in 1:53.4 for Brian Scott.

MacDonald’s first trip to Rideau of the year proved profitable in the absence of leading driver Guy Gagnon. MacDonald has divided his time between the New York and Ontario circuits this summer and has won 131 races so far on the season. The 2017 Future Star Award winner is aiming for a sixth straight year with more than 200 victories in the sulky.

Archer, the runaway leader in Rideau’s trainers’ standings, has now won 79 times at the Ottawa, Ont.-area oval this season. After going four-for-five on the night, she is winning at a 32.1 per cent clip at her home track. She is seventh in the national standings in wins.

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

(Standardbred Canada)