Veteran trotter Four Starz Speed was back to his winning ways on Sunday night (Feb. 28) at Rideau Carleton Raceway as he defeated the top trotters on the grounds in the $6,650 Winners Over Handicap for the fourth time this year in five starts.
Four Starz Speed made an early move to take the lead after a brief tuck into third-place during :28.2 first quarter. He worked to clear slight favourite Heres The Magic before the next turn and then cruised past the half in :59.2 and three-quarters in 1:30.1 with a three-wide battle brewing in behind for second-place. Heres That Magic won that duel, but couldn't catch Four Starz Speed, who opened up three lengths in the stretch for the 2:01.2 triumph over a track listed as 'good' with a five second variant. Michelangelo came in third while Broadway Prince and Next To Go faded in the stretch after their outside bids.
Four Starz Speed rebounded as the beaten favourite with broken equipment last time out and now boasts a four-for-five record in his 11-year-old campaign. He was the 9-5 second choice in Sunday's featured field, which was scratched down to just five starters, and he paid $5.20 to win.
The Conway Hall gelding is owned by trainer Sebastien Giroux of L'Ange-Gardien, Que. and Richard Dinelle of Limoges, Ont. Pierre Desjardins was the winning driver.
Sunday's success pushed Four Starz Speed's career win count to 36 while his lifetime earnings climbed over $750,000.
Giroux trainees won back-to-back races on the card as Real Rocker, driven by Richard Simard, stormed home from the backfield and prevailed in 1:58.2 over pocket-puller Slight Touch in the following $6,450 conditioned pace. The win was the six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding's second in a row -- both by a margin measuring a neck.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.