Yves Tessier trainee National Debt landed on the lead late to score back-to-back victories in the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Pace at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday (Nov. 7).
St Lads Thriller set the tempo to a :26.3 first quarter before odds-on favourite The Light Speed seized command by the stands first time. He led the field to a :56 half while driver Pascal Berube angled National Debt off the pegs from fifth and charged after the pacesetter up the backside. National Debt ranged to within a length of The Light Speed passing three-quarters in 1:24 and stayed at his throat around the final turn. The 10-year-old Allamerican Native stallion forged to the front into the lane and edged to a one-length victory in 1:52.3 while The Light Speed held second and St Lads Thriller finished third.
Owned by Francois Morin, National Debt won his 13th race from 23 starts this season and his 79th from 221 overall, pushing his earnings to $676,539. He paid $6 to win.
Ripped And Ready survived an overland journey through the mile of the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Trot to deliver as the favourite narrowly in 1:55.4.
Also piloted by Pascal Berube, Ripped And Ready stayed off the pylons while Capteur De Reve clicked a first quarter in :28. The outside presence of the Thierry Vandenplas trainee flushed Crossfit off the pegs from fourth moving to a :58 half, giving Ripped And Ready a live tow to within two lengths of the front into the backside.
Crossfit inched to lead Capteur De Reve to three-quarters in 1:26.3 and cleared to control around the final turn. Ripped And Ready remained persistent to his outside and, through the stretch, ground down the late leader to land a head in front at the beam while Seeyou Men gave pursuit from third and The Magic Of Life took fourth.
A four-year-old stallion by Muscle Mass, Ripped And Ready won his third race from 15 starts this season and his 10th from 36 overall, pushing his earnings to $143,181. Dr. Ruth Irving owns the $4.20 winner.
Sunday’s card also featured the fifth preliminary for the Coville Cup. Michael Healey wired his competition in the first division steering Notaword N ($5.10) to a 1:56 victory by 2-1/2 lengths. Claude Larose rode the pocket with Think Again to take second while William Roy rallied to finish third with Lunar Launch. Souffle De Vie with pilot Bernard Lavigne and Jon Snow, in rein to Michael Armstrong, rounded the top five. The victory by Notaword N was the second of three for conditioner John MacMillan, who scored in the opener with Irad Or Tees ($4) and towards the tail of the card with Montysgonemarble ($3.20).
Jimmy Gagnon won the other division of the Coville Cup, also going coast to coast, with Task Bar Hanover ($12.60) in 1:55.3. he withstood first-over pressure from Windsun Cheyenne and driver Daniel Laflamme through the mile to score a length win over fast-closing Art Of Fire with driver Drew Smyth. Darcy Clancy kicked Twin B Laker off cover around the final turn and finished third while One For Julius and Daniel St. Pierre took fourth and Windsun Cheyenne faltered to fifth.
Earlier on the card, Leamington star SOS Justified stepped onto the track riding a seven-race win streak, and he extended that streak to eight with a 1:56.3 upset victory in a $6,000 claiming event. Sam Fillion piloted the nine-year-old Art Colony gelding for conditioner Randy Scott to a second-over trip before powering home to win by a neck. Randy Scott co-owns the winner of now 41 races in his career with Kelly Scott. SOS Justified paid $27.30 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.