A pair of $9,200 Not Listed Preferred events headlined Sunday night's (July 12) race meeting at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and Vanilla Malted ($4.60) and Cascada ($15.60) proved best on their respective gaits in the nation's capital.
In the week's top pacing event, Vanilla Malted and Clarke Steacy made every call a winning one and held off pocket rival Take The Deal (Guy Gagnon) by a head in 1:52.3. The four-year-old Sweet Lou gelding used a :26.4 first quarter to seize control before getting a slight breather through two :28.4 middle sectionals. After thwarting the first-over bid of Maracasso (Carol Voyer) on approach to the final turn, Vanilla Malted was driven out to narrowly stave off Take The Deal and Sports Authority (Tyler Jones) — both of whom found room to rally in the stretch after the outer flow weakened.
Vanilla Malted, now a 19-time winner, captured his third top-level win since racing resumed for 2099551 Ontario Inc., which shares ownership with trainer John MacMillan.
The featured trot saw Kenneth Backer's Cascada ride the pocket to a 1:56 victory, his second in four tries this season and the seventh of his career. Jacques Beaudoin placed the five-year-old Muscle Mass gelding behind even-money favourite Severus Hanover (Pascal Berube) through a sharp :27.2 quarter, and from there, patience paid off. Cascada watched Severus Hanover turn aside Keepall (Voyer) and then Boo Thang (Pierre Vobay) before swinging three-wide at the top of the stretch and chasing down Boo Thang by a head. Severus Hanover checked in a worn-down third, 4-1/4 lengths in arrears.
Trainer-driver Guy Gagnon posted a treble on the card, sending SOS Justified ($2.10, 1:55.1), Big Petes Style ($4.50, 1:53.3) and Luke And Duke ($12.40, 1:54) to victory.
To view Sunday's full results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Rideau Carleton Raceway.