Chat Chat is the talk of Rideau Carleton Raceway these days. Ten consecutive wins will do that
.
The last eight of those wins have come for trainer Gerard Demers, 28, who claimed the five-year-old trotting mare for $8,100 from trainer Per Henriksen on Nov. 11.
She's since collected about $35,000 for owner Sophie Bourgeois of Blainville, Que., dominating male trotters while moving up in class and taking a new mark of 1:56.2.
"She interested me because she was young, she'd won in 1:57.3, and I've had a lot of success with Angus Halls. We took a chance and it paid off. She's difficult to work with and be around, but she has good chemistry with (driver) Guy Gagnon. and she doesn't want to lose. She can race from the front or from the back, and I think she can go faster than she's shown so far," said Demers, a claiming trainer with a stable of 20 horses based in Papineauville, Que.
He's had considerable success at Rideau, notably with another Bourgeois horse, pacer Best Show In Town, a 10-year-old warrior who's collected about $300,000 in the years since Demers purchased him for $15,000.
"She's won more races in a row, but he's the one who put me on the map," Demers said.
Chat Chat will aim for her 11th straight win on Thursday night at Rideau Carleton. To view entries from Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Entries - Rideau Carleton.
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)