'Beach Runner' Goes The Distance
Rideau Carleton Raceway's weekly top class Winners Over events were co-featured on Sunday night with pacer Beach Runner A M lasting on the lead and trotter Rocky Boy prevailing off a pocket trip.
In the $6,500 pacing division, Alain Martin's homebred gelding Beach Runner A M and driver Darrell Coville emerged with the lead in a cavalry charge off the gate and put up a :27.1 opening quarter.
Miramontman then advanced first over and battled head-to-head with the leader through middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:24.4. Beach Runner A M edged clear of that rival coming off the final turn while the backfield fanned wide for the stretch drive.
Even-money favourite Its A Go closed from the back of the pack, but ultimately came up three-quarters of a length short as Beach Runner A M held on for the 1:54.2 triumph, his second in a row. The eight-year-old son of Beach Of Faith was sent off at odds of 8-1 with the step up in class and paid $19.30 to win. Web Cam came on for third.
Driven by Guy Gagnon, inside starter Rocky Boy was off to a quick start in the matching trotting division with horses stacked three-wide to his outside early on. The six-year-old Rocky Balboa gelding gave way to Ghirardelli Lindy past the :27.4 first quarter mark.
He tracked the new leader through fractions of :57.2 and 1:27.1 before tipping to the outside and trotting by down the lane to win by one and a quarter length in 1:57 flat. Ghirardelli Lindy held off the wide-rallying Michelangelo for second-place honours.
Johanne Begin trains Rocky Boy, who went over the $100,000 career earnings mark for owners Marc Belanger and Stephane Beaudoin. He paid $7 to win as the public's 5-2 second choice to last week's winner Undercover Bro, who finished fifth off a three-hole trip this time out.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.