Thursday evening’s 15-race program at Rideau Carleton Raceway had a little bit of everything – a number of dominant trainer and driver performances, the second round of the Photogenic Mares Series and a $13,000 Preferred Pace
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Trainer Colin Johnson and driver Denis St. Pierre joined forces to win four races, and St. Pierre tacked on another catch-driving score to improve his nightly win total to five on what turned out to be a banner night at the office.
Driver Simon Allard teamed up with his brother, trainer Rene Allard, to win three times on the Thursday program. Simon added a pair of catch-driving wins to join St. Pierre in the five-win club.
Stonebridge Wish, who was one of the winners sent out by Team Allard, took home top prize in the $13,000 Preferred Pace. The nine-year-old son of Camluck-Star Crusher brushed to the top shortly past the quarter pole and threw down middle splits of :55.2 and 1:24 before using a :29.2 closing panel to win by a length over Cajon Thunder in 1:53.2. Hoboken Hanover came on late to finish third.
Rene Allard shares ownership on the veteran with J And A Bianco Holdings Ltd of Bolton, ON and Gilles Fleury of Mascouche, QC. The 24-time winner has now banked in excess of $382,000.
The Allards also visited the winner’s circle in the second division of the Photogenic Mares Series with Rockin Belle, who steamrolled over the competition to win by nearly six lengths in 1:55.4. The three-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Barrington Belle, who was sent off as the 1-9 favourite, defeated Upfrontandpersonal and Barockey. Rene Allard shares ownership on the youngster with the Anatolia Racing Stb Inc of Hopewell Junction, NY.
Gord Brown guided the John MacMillan-trained Meet Me Halfway to a 1:58.1 score in the opening division. The three-year-old Lis Mara-So Far Away miss survived a first-over journey to win by three-quarters of a length over Andro Madi, with Star Of Beauty a bang-up third in the $6,700 tilt. MacMillan holds the papers on the three-time winner who has nabbed close to $14,000 in purse earnings to date.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.