Mandy Archer added another four victories to her lead in the Rideau Carleton Raceway trainers’ standings as she went undefeated at the Ottawa-area track on Wednesday, June 11.
Sonofamillionaire headlined the quartet of winners as the stable newcomer fired off cover to win his Rideau Carleton debut in the $10,000 Preferred Handicap Trot.
The gelding landed fifth early for driver Robert Shepherd as three rivals butted heads for the lead on the first turn. Favourite Impressive Dude (Guy Gagnon) finally found the front after pressing forward on the rim throughout the :27.3 first quarter. Sonofamillionaire remained on the cones through the half in :57.4, shifting out third-over as the field entered the backstretch.
Shepherd tipped Sonofamillionaire three-wide around stalling cover at three-quarters in 1:26.3 to chase Mystic (Ryan Guy), who struck the front after a first-up march. Sonofamillionaire closed rapidly on the final turn and glided by the tiring Mystic in deep-stretch to score by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3.
Mystic was a clear second-best with Wishyoudtellme (William Roy) three further lengths behind in third. The winner returned $9.10 as the co-second choice.
Sonofamillionaire, returning to action four days after a fifth-place finish at Georgian Downs, raised his lifetime win total to 19 with Wednesday’s victory. The 10-year-old raced most of his career in western Ontario before shipping to the Ottawa-area oval for new owners Jamie Copley, Kimberly Eaton and Max Webster Stable this week. The win also marked the first career Preferred-level tally for the son of Donato Hanover-Moms Millionaire. He has earned $169,529 in 159 lifetime outings.
Archer’s first winner of the evening also came with a horse making his debut for the stable. Mae Lose Control ($7.20), in his first trip to Rideau Carleton, wired the third race field in a lifetime-best 1:54. The five-year-old had previously not hit the board in seven starts this season. The conditioner made it a triple in the seventh race as Bettor At Hightide ($8.20) went back-to-back with a pocket-popping victory in 1:53.3 with Ryan Guy aboard. Gimmie A Corona ($2.60), driven by Gagnon, then completed the grand slam in the eighth race with a tough first-over effort.
Archer, with 38 victories this year at Rideau, now holds a 16-win cushion over Gagnon in the trainers’ standings.
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)