Trainer Colin Johnson and driver Denis St. Pierre ruled the roost at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening, and in doing so they added to their already-impressive totals at the five-eighths mile oval
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Johnson sent out three winners over the course of the 15-race program, and all three of them were handled by driver St. Pierre. That reinsman tacked on two more catch-driving victories to bring his nightly win total to five.
The tandem swept the first two races on the card thanks to victories by Tough Bananas (2:01.1) and Avid Artist (1:55.4). St. Pierre catch-drove the Luc Blais-trained Done Fooln Witcha to a 1:56.1 triumph in Race 3, and in doing so the white-hot reinsman completed the natural hat trick.
St. Pierre also hooked up with trainer Blais in Race 8, and together they celebrated a 1:57 score with Mork N Lindy. Three races later it was St. Pierre and Johnson clicking with Caliban in 1:56.1 – thus completing Johnson’s hat trick and giving St. Pierre his fifth trip to victory lane.
Johnson’s three-win performance helped him leap frog over Gerard Demers in Rideau Carleton’s trainers’ standings. He has sent out 35 winners so far this season, which ranks second behind Jamie Copley who leads the way with 67.
St. Pierre, who currently sits second in the drivers’ standings at Rideau Carleton, has piled up 89 wins so far this year at the five-eighths mile oval. Stephane Gendron leads all reinsmen with 97 wins.
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.