What appeared to be a serious injury for the connections of promising pacing colt Rotten Ronnie wasn't as bad as originally expected, and the record-setting sophomore is set to return to competition.
After setting an all-age track record on July 24 at Northside Downs, Rotten Ronnie was slated to compete in the Barrieau-McIsaac on July 31 but was scratched from that event. According to driver and co-owner Redmond Doucet, the son of Malicious - Victory Cry got himself caught up in his feed bag during transportation to New Brunswick for that race and sustained an injury.
Originally considered to be an injury that might keep him out of action for three months, that prognosis was later revised to just three weeks of rest, and now the colt is back in action this Monday (August 16) in Atlantic Sires Stakes action and will line up to the outside of his archrival, Woodmere Stealdeal.
"What he had was like rope burn, like how you or I would have a carpet burn," Doucet told Trot Insider. "He actually recovered from it pretty quickly; I thought it was going to take a little longer, well, weeks longer than it did. The leg cleaned out really quick and he's been sound on it since day one."
With a clean bill of health, Rotten Ronnie will compete during the Monday night of harness racing at Red Shores Charlottetown during Atlantic Sires Stakes action. He's drawn post three for Doucet, co-owner Andy Stewart of Inverness, N.S. and trainer Len McIsaac in one of two $16,200 AtSS 'A' divisions, with Woodmere Stealdeal and driver Marc Campbell in post two.
"I don't know how he's going to be fitness-wise on Monday night but I don't think he'll be out of place," stated Doucet. "I just don't think he's going to be at his peak performance."
That race shape wasn't even there, in Doucet's opinion, when he established the track record at Northside. He feels the colt was nearing his peak, but not at it then and certainly not at it now coming into Monday's race off a three-week layoff.
"In my opinion, he's one of the top three in the division and he's progressing every week. And he was actually just getting raceway-tight. Northside was by far his best race ... he had a couple of easy races at Inverness there, he went a couple of last quarters but you have to race four quarters when you're going that speed and against the competition he's racing."
After Monday's event, Rotten Ronnie will return home to cape Breton since he's not eligible to any of the stakes races slated for the sophomores over the next few weeks. That break in the schedule will give the connections the chance to race at his home track that he missed when the AtSS rolled into Inverness last Sunday.
"He's not eligible to any of the stakes so I'll just probably race him in an overnight at Inverness, because he never got to race at his home track for the stakes races."
When the AtSS resumes, Doucet looks forward to resuming the rivalry with Woodmere Stealdeal and Barrieau-McIsaac winner Dustylanegoliath. While Woodmere Stealdeal clearly had the advantage a year ago, Rotten Ronnie is bigger and stronger as a sophomore and Doucet feels that maturity has leveled the playing field in the glamour boy division.
"When the three of them are at their peak, I think you could throw a blanket over them. Whoever gets the best trip is going to win, in my opinion. They're that close."
To view the entries for Monday's card of harness racing, featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes and Trial 3 for the 2021 Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer, click the following link: Monday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.