Thierry Vandenplas trainee Ripped And Ready returned to the Rideau Carleton Raceway winner’s circle on Sunday (Nov. 14) to record consecutive victories in the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Trot.
Floating off the car from post 8, Ripped And Ready raced wide towards the back of the field as Seeyou Men cleared control by a :28 first quarter. Crossfit was also caught on the rim moving for the stands first time and moved to challenge the temposetter to a :58.4 half, but failed to clear into the second turn. Seeyou Men kept Crossfit parked up the backside while Ripped And Ready raced perched on a helmet to three-quarters in 1:27.2 before driver Pascal Berube gave the cue. Once fanning off cover, Ripped And Ready rolled to the lead and coasted home a 2-1/4-length winner in 1:57.1 over Crossfit with Seeyou Men settling for third and Westfiftysecond taking fourth.
A four-year-old stallion by Muscle Mass, Ripped And Ready won his fourth race from 16 starts this season and his 11th from 37 overall, pushing his earnings to $147,781. Dr. Ruth Irving owns the $6.50 winner.
Shadow Margeaux pulled a 22-1 upset earlier in the card in taking the co-featured $9,200 Preferred Handicap Pace. The 10-year-old Shadow Play gelding settled into third while St Lads Thriller took the lead and set a clip of :27, :57.2 and 1:25.1. St Lads Thriller turned for home on a two-length lead, but a four-horse charge came calling for the front through the straightaway. Shadow Margeaux motored home in time to land a half-length decision over Night Club Hanover, who just held off a late bid from National Debt to take second. The Light Speed, the 1-2 favourite, finished fourth.
Owned by Limco Inc., Dr. John Tobin and trainer Victor Puddy, Shadow Margeaux won his sixth race from 28 starts this season and his 23rd from 227 overall, pushing his earnings to $359,680. Ryan Guy piloted the $66.20 winner.
Sunday’s card also hosted the sixth preliminary for the Coville Cup. Daniel St. Pierre piloted Time To Dancing ($4) to a pocket-pouncing victory in the first division, posting a 1:58.4 mile while also completing a training hat trick for Guy Gagnon. Hardy Mill Joe and Michael Armstrong set a tempo of :28.1, :59.3 and 1:28.3 through the mile but settled for second, while Shes Speechless and Mike Healey finished third and Sports Bliss, driven by Bernard Lavigne, recovered from a first-turn break to take fourth.
Normand Beaudoin followed suit in the second Coville Cup division, pulling pocket with El Torero ($42.30) to win in 1:58.2 over tempo-setter Jon Snow and driver Drew Smyth, who were placed second. Koloy DM finished second in the race, but he broke at the start and interfered with several in the field, prompting the judges to disqualify him to ninth. Jimmy Gagnon and Saskabush Steve assumed third with Bet Till Dawn and Daniel Laflamme taking fourth.
Gagnon’s training hat trick began with a victory by Thundering Jim ($2.20), who won his fifth straight event when taking a $5,000 claiming pace going coast-to-coast in 1:54.4. Gagnon returned to the winner’s circle three races later with another gate-to-wire victory by Fcee N ($5.50).
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.