Sent the 1-5 favourite, Vegas Rock brushed to the lead past the quarter and held firm to the finish to win the $9,200 Preferred Pace at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday (Sept. 6).
Take The Deal swept by Atomic Million AM to take the lead by a :27.2 first quarter before yielding to Vegas Rocks by the stands first time. Vanilla Malted tipped first over from sixth as the field moved towards a :56 half but failed to advance in the backside when Vegas Rocks accelerated, hitting three-quarters in 1:23.4. Into the final turn Vegas Rocks opened two lengths on Take The Deal and cruised through the stretch as the pocket-sitter narrowed the winner’s margin to three-quarter lengths at the end of a 1:51.4 mile. Atomic Million AM finished third.
An eight-year-old gelding by Rocknroll Hanover, Vegas Rocks won his second race from nine starts this season and his 31st from 141 overall, earning $377,054. Mandy Archer trains the $2.40 winner for owners Rachel Archer, Dean Larkin and Jody Sanderson. Pascal Berube sat in the bike.
The La Framoboise boys—trainer Paul Laframboise and driver Rod La Framboise—teamed to take the $9,200 Preferred Trot with Lestenpercent in a 1:55.3 mile.
Parked to a :28 first quarter, Lestenpercent landed on the front with Cheque The Magic sitting the pocket to a :57.2 half. Race-favourite Boo Thang, wide from the start, continued to race on the rim but stalled in the backfield moving to three-quarters in 1:26.1. Hat Trick Marleau moved out of third heading to the final turn, giving cover to the favourite as the stablemates advanced towards Lestenpercent coming into the stretch. But Lestenpercent stood his ground on the lead, holding the front by a head to win over Hat Trick Marleau. Boo Thang rallied off cover for third.
Owned by Paul Laframboise, Lestenpercent won his fifth race from 12 starts this season and his 13th from 62 overall, earning $65,765. The five-year-old Justice Hall gelding paid $8.30 to win.
Owner-trainer Mark Goddard and driver Ryan Desroche swept the pair of $9,000 divisions of the Hard Rock Claiming Series, scoring at odds of 33-1 and 14-1 in the third preliminary.
Cheeky Cherry sat off a heated pace before springing to a 1:53.4 victory over Genesee. The four-year-old Westwardho Hanover mare sat sixth while Santanna Tony parked Carwins Smore through fractions of :27.4, :55.3 and 1:24.2. Desroche angled Cheeky Cherry to track Genesee’s helmet as he fanned three wide into the final turn, from there sweeping off cover to win by a length and post a $69.70 dividend.
Mohegan Blue Chip won the other division off a pocket trip behind 2-5 favourite Chaleurs Ad in a 1:53.2 mile. Stalking fractions of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:24.3, the eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding vacated pocket moving for the stretch and sliding by the odds-on choice to win by a half length with Singhampton Kenny third.
Trainer Guy Gagnon collected three wins on the undercard. He piloted his pupils Luke And Duke ($2.30), Big Petes Style ($2.70) and Mcjagersonthemove ($2.20) to victories.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.