With 15 races on the Sunday (March 14) card at Rideau Carleton Raceway, driver Guy Gagnon snagged seven—three of which came from his stable and another three of which came from trainer Mandy Archer, who scored a grand slam.
Gagnon’s evening began with a wire-to-wire job in the opener to win with his pupil Wild River Coyotee ($4.10) in 2:00.1. Two races later, Gagnon bagged an open-length victory with Windsong Quincy ($2.10)—the first of Mandy Archer’s four winners. Gagnon later drove Saskabush Steve ($7.00) and Archer trainees Avatar J ($2.50) and The Roadies ($4.80) to victories before wrapping his seven-up with wins by his trainees Stelios ($2.20) and Undercover Strike ($3.30).
Archer’s fourth winner came sandwiched on the card when driver Jonathan Lachance held on to win with Keystone Prestige ($15.90) by a nose.
The $9,200 Preferred events saw a pair of Rideau veterans return to the winner’s circle. First came the Laframboise boys with their trotter Lestenpercent, a six-year-old Justice Hall gelding who ripped from the back of the pack to win the Preferred Trot in 1:58.3.
Landing in seventh to a :28.2 first quarter, Lestenpercent caught cover to a :57.2 half as pacesetter Severus Hanover opened a loose lead. Nimbus Deo, parked from the start as the 8-5 favourite, led the two-wide charge into the backstretch until catching cover from pylon-popping Pasadena Star. Past three-quarters in 1:28, Pasadena Star began to dig into Severus Hanover, with the pacesetter promptly faltering through the pack off the final turn. But driver Rodney La Framboise wound up Lestenpercent from fourth over and came rolling quickest of all to hit the finish one length better than late-closing Mr Contestant. Nimbus Deo held third.
Owned by trainer Paul Laframboise, Lestenpercent won his 21st race from 78 starts, earning $106,705. He paid $6.50 to win.
National Debt also returned to the Rideau Carleton winner’s circle with a 1:53.4 coast-to-coast score.
Driver Pascal Berube dashed National Debt from post 6 to the top passing a :27.1 opening quarter. He continued to roll a hot pace to a :56 half before snagging a breather to three-quarters in 1:25.1. With the pace slowing, Vanilla Malted lunged off the pegs from fourth to press the pacesetter into the final turn. However the challenge proved futile, and National Debt cruised to the finish two-and-a-quarter lengths better than Officer Jones, who closed from last for second. Pocket-sitter Atomic Million AM finished third.
A 10-year-old stallion by Allamerican Native, National Debt won his 67th race from 201 starts, earning $615,079. Yves Tessier trains the $4.40 winner for owner Francois Morin.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.