Driver Guy Gagnon won back-to-back races on Sunday (January 29) at Rideau Carleton Raceway to sweep the evening's Winners Over Handicap co-features after playing a part in another Gagnon's first career training win by guiding Camco Richie to a victory earlier on the program.
Guy Gagnon sent the Gerard Demers-trained pacer Jenkins Creek ($7.10) and the trotter Commissioner Daley ($3.80), from his own stable, on successful front-end missions in their respective top class events.
Jenkins Creek won the $6,800 pacing division in 1:56 over the 'good' track by one and a quarter lengths ahead of the late-closing Solid Performance and Brett MacDonald, with favourite Crafty Master and Louis-Philippe Roy claiming third prize after going first-up. The seven-year-old Cams Card Shark gelding won his first Rideau start after being claimed for $15,000 last Monday at Woodbine Racetrack by La Ferme Tag Inc. and Les Ecuries GLD Inc.
Commissioner Daley took the $6,500 trot class in 1:59.2, winning by the same margin as Jenkins Creek, with the 2016 Future Star Award runner-up and winner rounding out the top three finish order again -- MacDonald closing with What A Rush and Roy following off a pocket trip aboard Jetcrest. A six-year-old Conway Hall gelding, Commissioner Daley is now two-for-two to start his 2017 campaign for owners Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc., Gestion Louis Latulippe Inc., and Gestion Bruno Blouin Inc.
Guy Gagnon used different tactics with Camco Richie ($6.10) in a $6,500 claiming-conditioned pace, moving third-over from second-to-last on the way to the half and then shooting inside to close through the passing lane for the one and a quarter length victory in 1:58.3, which marked 24-year-old Steven Gagnon's first career training win. Seawind Hudson (Brett MacDonald) edged out pacesetter Putnams New Year (Richard Simard) for the runner-up honours. Steven Gagnon earned his first win in just his sixth career start thanks to the seven-year-old Signyourlifeaway gelding that he also owns.
Louis-Philippe Roy matched Gagnon's three driving wins through the first 10 races, powered by the Yves Tessier stable, and earned a fourth victory with the Guy Roy-trained Majestic Diva before the 13-race program was complete.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.