Trainer Gary McDonald gave his 2014 win count a big boost on Sunday evening as he sent our five winners from his barn during the 12-race card at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
McDonald opened the Sunday program by sweeping the early Daily Double as pacing mare Taras Jet ($3.50) romped to a four length victory in rein to Denis St. Pierre and trotter Love Is Strong ($8.40) recovered from an early miscue to prevail by more than two lengths. The winning duo combined for a $2 Daily Double payout of $17.10.
Driven by Ted McDonald, Luke But Dontouch ($10.80) also trotted to victory lane in the fourth race and Woodbine invader Allamerican Extra ($5) won the sixth race pace in his debut for the McDonald stable. Pacer Hopetobefirst ($6.20) concluded McDonald's five-win night with a narrow score in the following dash.
All five winners are owned in whole or part by McDonald and his partners of The Three Gees Stable.
The Edwards, Ont. horseman, whose seasonal win count climbed to 14, has won 755 races lifetime with his starters earning over $4.08 million in purses.
Sunday's featured $6,500 Winners Over Handicap Pace was won by Ferme Alain Martin's homebred Beach Runner A M ($25.30), who held off the pocket-pulling D Gs Woodstock and Onyx V A in a blanket finish. The time of the mile was 1:55.4 over the 'good' track. Darrell Coville drove the 11-1 upset winner in his third start of the year.
In streaking action, Luc Loyer's Rockin Rambaran ($4) earned his fifth straight with a 1:58.3 front-stepping effort in the 10th race with Guy Gagnon in the sulky. Loyer claimed Rockin Rambaran for $6,250 at Western Fair Raceway on Feb. 7 and the four-year-old pacer turned in a second-place effort at Rideau in his debut for the new stable before beginning his winning crusade.
Out Of The Hat ($3.30) earned the third (consecutive) win of her five-year-old campaign and tied her own Canadian season's record for trotting mares on a five-eighth mile track of 1:58.3 for trainer John MacMillan and Andrea Lea Racing Stables Inc. of Lakefield Gore, Que. An 18-time winner in 2013, the Kadabra daughter was the winningest trotter in North America last year.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.