Ontario Sires Stakes and Series Quebecoises graduate Atomic Million AM earned the first victory of his four-year-old season on Sunday night in Rideau Carleton Raceway's co-featured $6,500 Winners Over Pace.
Atomic Million AM followed up a close second-place effort in his season's debut last week with a 1:55.2 triumph on Sunday for trainer, owner and breeder Alain Martin.
Sylvain Lacaille worked out the winning trip, sending the Million Dollar Cam gelding from last to first in a :27.3 final quarter. The overwhelming favourite in the five-horse field paid $2.10 to win. Longshot Solid Performance finished over a length behind in second over Officially Rusty, who settled for third after leading through panels of :28, :58 and 1:26.4.
Atomic Million Am won 11 of his 17 sophomore races, including the Ontario Grassroots and Quebec championships, and banked over $110,000. He is being pointed towards the $200,000 Prix d’Ete at Hippodrome 3R this summer.
In the trotting division, Four Starz Speed tracked the favoured mare Out Of The Hat through fractions of :28.3, :59 and 1:28.1 before prevailing in 1:58 flat. He came through the passing lane for the half-length victory over the oncoming Ghirardelli Lindy, last week's winner, while Out Of The Hat finished one length back in third. Sent postward as the 3-1 second choice, Four Starz Speed returned $8 to his backers.
Four Starz Speed earned his first win of the season in nine starts. Driver Jacques Beaudoin and Andre Beaudoin co-own the 10-year-old Conway Hall gelding, a former New York Sires Stakes champion who's competed with the sport's elite trotters over the years. Johanne Begin was the winning trainer.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.