The seven-year-old Muscle Mass gelding Capteur De Reve returned to the top class at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday (Sept. 5) and captured a tight victory in the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Trot.
Leaving from post 7, Capteur De Reve cleared the lead to a :27.3 first quarter with Severus Hanover sitting in the pocket. Crossfit raced parked towards the back of the field passing the stands first time but flushed cover from Magic Night moving to a :58 half.
Magic Night pressed forward up the backstretch to apply minor pressure to Capteur De Reve, who clicked three-quarters in 1:27.1. The Maxime Velaye trainee turned away Magic Night around the final turn as Crossfit fanned three wide for the stretch drive and closed for the lead late, though hitting the beam a neck behind the winner in a 1:56.4 mile. Severus Hanover finished third with Magic Night fading to fourth.
A homebred for Ecurie Provoquante, Capteur De Reve won his fourth race from eight starts this season and his 29th from 84 overall, earning $301,067. Stephane Gendron drove the $24.40 winner.
National Debt fought for the lead early, lost the lead up the backstretch and regained the lead around the final turn to hold onto a narrow victory in the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Pace.
Clearing control past a :26.2 first quarter, National Debt kept the pace hot past the stands first time to a :54.4 half before trying to grab a breather into the backstretch. With the tempo slowed, The Light Speed came rolling first over to edge nearly a length in front of National Debt to three-quarters in 1:23, but the Yves Tessier trainee strung the late challenger out to the final turn. National Debt regained the lead from the inside path around the final turn and straightened for the beam a half length better than The Light Speed, who then fought back for the front but settled for second by a nose in a 1:51.2 mile. Giddy Up Max rallied for third.
Winning his eighth race from 15 starts this season and his 74th from 213 overall, National Debt has earned $648,939. Pascal Berube drove the 10-year-old Allamerican Native stallion for owner Francois Morin and paid $5.30 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.