Best Bet – (1) PERFECT DALIANCE – Race 3
Spot Play – (4) MALVOLIO – Race 2
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3 – 1,5/1,3,5,7/3,5,6/2,5 = $9.60
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 7 – 1,2,4,7/1,2/2,3/4,9 = $6.40
Race 1 – (5) FIELD GUNNER is a former $200K yearling; now four, he’s no longer racing for Determination, but has been strong at Hippodrome 3R for Stephane Brosseau, who drives tonight; lifetime best, set at ⅝-mile Kawartha, is second-fastest in this field. (2) RAISING RUSTY was overextended on Rideau opening card, advancing wide from near-last and tiring at top of the stretch; trainer/driver Stephane Pouliot hit board in 4 of 6 races Sunday, so anticipating better results from this closer. (4) ORLYS FURY gets driver change to Guy Gagnon, as trainer Richard Simard stays aboard stablemate Orlys Dream (#1); Gagnon won 7 races here Sunday and while this gelding is light on wins, he tends to stay flat and hit board.
Race 2 – (4) MALVOLIO hasn’t hit board in 2020/21, but he was out and moving from last at the half in his Sunday start here; while too far back to get involved in a race dominated by front-end speed, he started from post #7 and draws better tonight; Richard Simard picks up live catch drive on gelding whose three lifetime wins were all at Rideau Carleton, on front end, in 2019. (2) CASSIUS disappointed as a top choice Sunday night, offering little first up against a gate-to-wire Umpire Hanover; Stephane Brosseau sends this field’s winningest horse of 2020 up against less-accomplished bunch here. (1) BARRYS SHELBY arrives from Kawartha Downs to make second recent start with Lasix; 2 of his 3 wins last year were from off the pace at ⅝-mile Tioga; a beaten Rideau Carleton fave in his last pari-mutuel start, but he was badly parked much of the Lasix-free mile.
Race 3 – (1) PERFECT DALIANCE looks to capitalize on Mike Healey’s recent hot streak; trainer/driver won both of his opening night Rideau races, using similar tactics of following pacesetter and leaving pocket in the stretch; this mare’s last win did not look that different; faced Preferred-level males in her comeback qualifier and nearly matched her lifetime-best mark finishing third. (5) BETTIMONTHERIVER is recent arrival with a front-end Saratoga victory for previous connections; now campaigned by trainer John MacMillan, if she leaves tonight, it sets up perfectly for Perfect Daliance. (4) COME ON SUN is stakes filly making 2021 return; latest qualifiers suggest she may need another start or two to get up to speed for Shawn and Clarke Steacy; they teamed up for show finish with three-year-old Southwind Bronn here opening night.
Race 4 – (1) BEYOND THE LENS returns to the classification of his last win, which saw him leave aggressively from post #2 to win gate-to-wire for Guy Gagnon. (5) STORMONT MUFFIN has been unreliable because of breaking issues, but qualified acceptably at Kawartha; broke maiden here last July 2 for tonight’s driver Ryan Guy. (3) HOLY BEING makes career debut after promising Rideau qualifier with a field’s-second-fastest last quarter; Guy Gagnon stays loyal.
Race 5 – (3) THINKINGOFYOUBABE was a confident winner over Op15000clm males Sunday; she’s back after a lifetime-best mile that went faster than any other race on the card; sharp form as she and Guy Gagnon face a mares-only field. (6) REYS N A ROCKET is queen of the closers, yet coming off a lengthy layoff; returns to Vic Puddy/Ryan Guy; she was claimed back from Robert Bernicky following her going-away victory at this track’s last card before shutdown. (5) ARRHYTHMOGENIC wintered at Pompano, where she took a new personal best; subsequent performances at Hippodrome 3R have been strong. (1) JANS LEGACY was a reliable bet from inside posts at Hippodrome 3R distaff Preferred classifications; her one 2020 Rideau victory from inside post was over a short field for Darcy Clancy; she has lacked late pace and faded in her other three efforts from same post at this track, this year and last. (4) Y C EASY also arrives from mares' Hippodrome 3R Preferred; front-end loving type offered little against this Rideau group in late March, when Stephane Pouliot drove; he's on board the #7 this race instead, another outsider.
Race 6 – (2) LA PETITE GRISE is off to an impressive start to her career; hasn’t missed top two in four tries at Hippodrome 3R; retains Pascal Berube and takes on a field with only one other non-maiden. (5) SPORT A LUCKY STAR paced the fastest recent mile of anyone in this field in a recent qualifier at this track; winless six-year-old’s best 2020 results involved closing for minor shares against less-experienced rivals. (4) PDQ HANOVER has Guy Gagnon in the sulky, which is significant, since he drove this race’s top choice to her maiden victory; Mandy Archer trainee hasn’t displayed the form or results of La Petite Grise, however, and may be overbet due to her connections.
Race 7 – (7) DIAMOND ROCK won over half-mile Hippodrome 3R from the outside post Sunday, cutting the mile in lifetime-best style for Pascal Berube, who drives him in Rideau Carleton debut; undefeated at three and dominant on front end. (4) WISK KEY K is this field’s fastest performer, following a gate-to-wire effort at this track for Guy Gagnon Sunday; one of only two winners among this group, he has not faced the same adversity as the top selection, although he’s also undefeated in 2021. (1) THE TWIST followed stablemate Wish Key K (#4) around for a place finish last start; maiden showed comparable 1:55-range speed in a race where no other finisher paced a sub-1:57 mile.
Race 8 – (2) BADSTORMANYPORT wired Rideau Carleton Nw1400l3cd pacers for Richard Simard and trainer Anne Marie Turenne last Sept. 24; he won two in a row here last June from inside posts, upsetting Big Petes Style on both occasions; that’s enough to put this field’s winningest horse of 2020 on top, in spite of uninspired June 2021 qualifiers. (1) SIR GALAHAD’s 1:53.3 personal effort last race wasn’t enough to put him in the top three, but that plus the rail make John MacMillan-trained and -owned veteran an attractive prospect despite moving up in class.(4) LEVIS DAY was second over in fourth at the opening quarter last start, chasing a quick pacesetter; stalled on the last turn, and tried three-wide move under urging, only to tire and lose ground in the stretch drive; Ryan Guy remains loyal to Vic Puddy trainee who makes second start *without* Lasix.
Race 9 – (2) OCEANVIEW MAGNUM was hung first over in his second start with Lasix last Sunday at Rideau Carleton, chasing hot early fractions; class and post relief for Anne Marie Turenne trainee who retains Richard Simard. (3) MCJAGERSONTHEMOVE had terrible post here last Sunday and was never factor in seasonal debut; post improvement tonight suits the style of his most recent victory; second-fastest closing quarter in last race hints that he could upset. (4) INDEPENDENCE TIME took his lifetime-best mark earlier this year at this track; good closer who’s been active at Hippodrome 3R during Ontario racing pause.
Race 10 – (9) DELLAS BOY starts from second tier; never missed a cheque at this track last season, but spent most of year on half-mile tracks; closed for fourth (despite interference) at 25/1 in previous effort for Vic Puddy and Ryan Guy; beware. (4) WILD RIVER COYOTEE and Guy Gagnon finished third of six despite broken equipment in recent qualifier at this track; enigmatic four-year-old finds class relief; most career victories of this field. (3) SIR A broke leaving in seasonal debut Sunday and never got back into the race; his wins here at age two involved front-end trips for Jacques Beaudoin over short fields. (1) COLONEL BAYAMA has had stake success in Quebec, but failed to hit board or make strong impression in pair of Rideau tries last year. (5) GOT SEXY SCARS never missed a cheque here last season, but never reached top three, either; back from Quebec with late speed and beaten-fave status in place finish last outing there.
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Melissa Keith is a lifelong harness handicapper/bettor, Hervey/O'Brien Media Excellence Award-winning writer, and occasional racecaller. She is a contributor to TROT, Hoof Beats, Atlantic Post Calls, and Harness Racing Update, often covering topics related to wagering. Her most memorable bets include taking down the Truro Raceway Pick-7 pool for a $36 investment (it has not been offered since) and collecting $1,287 for a Woodbine Harness Pick-4 which cost a whopping $1.60.
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