Isabelle Darveau trainee Black Tie Bash continues to reign over his peers as the four-year-old Chapter Seven gelding bagged his fifth straight victory in the $10,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday night (Nov. 10).
Driver Robert Shepherd followed his usual tactics of floating Black Tie Bash off the speed from his assigned outer post, but raced parked on the rim throughout the mile. After a :27.2 first quarter set by favourite Tokyo Seelster, Black Tie Bash marched forward into a :57.2 half and drew to equal terms with the leader to three-quarters in 1:25.4. Black Tie Bash then surged to a neck lead off the bottom corner and edged away from Tokyo Seelster to cross the beam three-quarter lengths better in 1:55.4. Cold Rage came from second over to take third and Beyond Kronos sat a pocket trip to finish fourth.
Robert Shepherd owns Black Tie Bash, a 18-time winner from 61 starts and an earner of $153,258. He paid $5.40 to win.
After the second race on the Thursday card, Rideau Carleton honoured longtime competitor Undercover Strike in a retirement ceremony. The 14-year-old will be forced into retirement upon turning 15 on Jan. 1, 2023, but completed his career with a fifth-place finish in a $7,100 conditioned trot. Guy Gagnon trained and drove Undercover Strike since he joined the Ottawa circuit in 2019. Catheline Pelletier and Krystel Simard owned the gelding in his final two years of racing. Undercover Strike retires with 56 wins from 228 starts and $808,612 earned.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.