Best Bet – (5) RIPPED AND READY – Race 5
Spot Play – (6) ASHLEYSBEST – Race 9
20-cent Pick 5 – Race 5 – 3,5,6/3,4/9/1,4,5/1,4,6 = $10.80
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 2 – 4,5/3,5/2,4,5,6/3,5,6 = $9.60
20-cent Middle Pick 4 – Race 4 – 2,4,5,6/5/3,4,7,8/9 = $3.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 8 – 1,4,5/1,4,6/3,4/7,8 = $7.20
Race 1 — Class relief for (1) THE REGULATOR; fourth-over at the half in last Sunday's Preferred, he followed eventual winner and runner-up but couldn't gain ground late; returns to Rideau rail, from which he paced his fastest-ever beaten and winning miles on a 5/8-mile track this season; Guy Gagnon was aboard for latest win and again here. (3) MISSION BAY appears to be Samuel Fillion's choice over #5 Levis Day; three-race Rideau win streak only ended on jump to Preferred Handicap level; took seasonal-best mark here September 19, defeating The Regulator and Gagnon, who had #8-hole that night. (2) NIGHT CLUB HANOVER capitalized on rail last Sunday; front-end trip with slow second quarter wasn't quite enough to hold off late-charging Officer Jones; hasn't missed board here this year when starting from inside (#1-2) or trailing post.
Race 2 — (5) MORTGAGE MY VILLA, who started from second tier at higher claiming tag last Sunday; parked second-over from sixth at the half, through brisk early fractions; closed in field's-co-second-fastest 28.2 when he finally made it to passing lane. (4) ITS EDS IDEA debuts for Mandy Archer stable after last week's claim; only recent victory was pocket ride behind Dreamfair Tecate over a month ago; loses Samuel Fillion to #3 Matts Tuition. (1) EMPTYTHETILL was live second-over behind Its Eds Idea on final turn last Sunday, circling his stalled cover late; beaten 8/5 fave was under firm hold early; in first drive by Pascal Berube, he defeated Mortgage My Villa, but his current form hasn't been as consistent as that of top rival.
Race 3 — (3) SAULSBROOK VELVETA has overcome interference, low-percentage posts and male competition with ease; undefeated front-end-loving filly shows little vulnerability. (5) ROLLIN WITH ROCK broke maiden Thursday, just ahead of pocket-popping Souffle De Vie at the wire; claimed lead by opening quarter and shrugged off first-up attack by (6) HARDY MILL JOE at the three-quarters; overland trip didn't help beaten 3/2 fave then; drawing outside doesn't help tonight.
Race 4 — (2) ART OF FIRE paced fastest closing quarter (27.3) of entire card last Sunday; 5 lengths behind the rest of the field early, he was underway third-over from last by the half; broke early in first Ottawa start from tonight's post; both 2021 victories on 5/8-mile tracks were stalking trips from #2 hole at Georgian Downs, however. (4) FARMERS TAN cut mile and was beaten by a neck last week at higher classification; familiar gate-to-wire tactics suggest vulnerability to late speed this race. (6) LUNAR LAUNCH gets intriguing new catch driver; sat single-file third behind gate-to-wire 1/9 winner Windsong Quincy Thursday, but unleashed field's-fastest (28.3) last quarter to get with a half-length of pulling off 50/1 upset.
Race 5 — (5) RIPPED AND READY gets this track's winningest post for trotters, one week after disappointing his backers with runner-up finish from off the pace; simply launched too late in Preferred Handicap which allowed the winner to steal away unchallenged; came home in field's-co-fastest 28.4. Even-money winning fave (6) CROSSFIT led at every call in short field where he was allowed to have one of his favourite trips. (3) GLOIRE DREAM was under strong hold by Samuel Fillion in pocket last Sunday; lost momentum late after getting covered up by an advancing Ripped And Ready. (2) CHEQUE THE MAGIC wired at lower level a few starts back, taking new mark; trotted faster personal mile than that lifetime-best to get cheque last Sunday. (4) SEEYOU MEN recorded a rare Preferred victory here two starts ago; lower classification and/or inside post accompany his best recent work.
Race 6 — (4) KEYSTONE PRESTIGE was parked entire mile at Hippodrome 3R last start and still won in new lifetime best; while his only 2021 Rideau victory was back on March 14, note he was a good fourth from difficult post in latest Coville Cup leg for a returning Phil Reid. (3) LUCKY LEONARD finds class relief; beaten 8/5 fave in last start for Darcy Clancy was second-over fifth at the three-quarters; ended up caught between stalling cover of Bet Till Dawn and a three-wide Keystone Prestige on final turn, but still closed for show. (8) FERN HILL BELLA drew Benoit Hebert in latest Coville Cup drivers' assignment; he hasn't missed board in first two legs, although he was set back 1p2 with Sir Galahad October 17; that race, Fern Hill Bella was 2p1 for different driver.
Race 7 — (9) MISSION THREE was claimed last week and debuts for Mandy Archer; second tier for gelding who won twice this year on class jump, even stepping up at Mohawk after three-race win streak at Hanover; unexplained break on first turn here last Sunday. (2) REDDIT HANOVER finished third at 60/1 odds last Sunday, gradually advancing up the pylons from second-last as Western Phil led by open lengths; closed in co-field's-fastest 29-flat, as did a late-flying (5) PORTRSTOWNCHRIS IR; Irish import's four seasonal victories were all at Mohawk, where the longer stretch factored into well-timed off-the-pace efforts.
Race 8 — (4) BS TYRRIFIC won from same post with same driver October 3, facing $12K claimers; that was his fastest-ever win on a 5/8-mile track, although he's paced non-winning miles around two seconds faster on same-sized track, including last Sunday; beaten even-money fave shadowed Saulsbrook Kaisen through hot fractions; exited pocket to challenge on last turn, only to be overtaken by late-charging Outlaw Kismet's passing lane move. (1) FCEE N has been recently vulnerable on front end at $12K claiming tag; this mixed field includes horses who have been racing in deeper company; still, theoretically perfect post for front-end-loving gelding with Guy Gagnon at the controls. Beaten 3/2 fave (5) PRINT MEDIA has been busy in Coville Cup; winless since August 8, last Sunday he stalked Mossies Art from pocket, getting covered and shuffled; as John MacMillan put it, "all bottled up with no place to go, coming for the payoff."
Race 9 — (6) ASHLEYSBEST drops from Rideau Preferred for the first time since September 19; a winner for Mike Healey the last time they raced at similar level to tonight; perfect pocket ride and one late move produced his lone win this year; averaging faster recent efforts than the rest. Class-dropping (1) SHADOW MARGEAUX looked obvious last weekend, until he jumped it off; 9/5 beaten fave was boxed in third by a first-up Officer Jones at the half; broke in tight quarters as he attempted to close up passing lane. (4) HES GOT A VENDETTA quickly settled into third behind Racemup and Farmers Tan last Sunday; covered and shuffled, he made mild bid in passing lane, but had no answer for top pair; late speed.
Race 10 — Versatile veteran (4) GENESEE is back in line to Clarke Steacy, who was aboard for his latest victory, a 7/1 upset at same classification; last Sunday, rode pocket and got within a half-length of taking down (3) THUNDERING JIM at the wire; one-dimensional but consistent front-end winner was definitely tested by Genesee in latest match-up. (5) THINK AGAIN improved on class drop with Gagnon in the sulky, but chalk up his only win of the year to Western Phil losing focus, squandering a multi-length advantage that was setting up for his own victory.
Race 11 — (7) NATIONAL DEBT draws inside toughest rival this week; powerful closer delivered field's-co-fastest last quarter (28.1) to get within a nostril of edging out (8) THE LIGHT SPEED in last Sunday's Preferred; the three-year-old battled pacesetter Hitman Hill for control after that now-absent rival led through a 26-flat opening quarter; fastest win of his career. (1) STONEBRIDGE BEACH has missed a cheque just three times this year; stealthy closer paced same 28.1 last quarter as National Debt in most recent Preferred. (9) DAY DELIGHT intrigues from second tier; Ottawa newcomer won recent qualifiers for Marie-Claude Auger by mind-boggling margins, although against overmatched company, including trotters; note all his 2021 victories were on half-mile PEI tracks. (4) ST LADS THRILLER debuts for Mandy Archer; his most recent win was from pocket at Flamboro for previous connections; both seasonal Preferred-2 victories were at that half-mile venue; less success at lower classification competing at 5/8-mile Georgian Downs.
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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 $1.60.
Photo by Ryan Clements Photos
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