Best Bet – (4) CLOUD NINE HANOVER – Race 10
Spot Play – (2) LIKE LIGHTNING LOU – Race 4
20-cent Pick 5 – Race 5 – 2/4,5/1,3/3,4,5/1,3,4,5,6 = $12.00
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3 – 3,5,7/2,3/1,2,5/4,5 = $7.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 7 – 1,3,4/3,4,5/1,3,4,5,6/4 = $9.00
Race 1 — (3) SILVERADO gets significant class relief; he won from post 7 the last time he was at comparable classification, leading at every call for Ryan Guy; trailed most of mile Sunday, closing in field's co-fastest 28-flat. (4) MORTGAGE MY VILLA exits claiming company after changing barns three times in the last month; teams up with Jimmy Gagnon again; they made late gains Sunday over snowy surface with four-second variant; raced near back of field, closing through traffic for show in near-blanket finish. (6) OUTLAW TURN N BURN took his lifetime mark at 5/8-mile Northlands Park, but has been primarily campaigned at 1/2-mile Hippodrome 3R in recent years; an off-the-pace Rideau winner for Guy Gagnon in late November 2019 and 2020; parked by Woo Shark through punishing early fractions in seasonal return November 21, from same outside post as tonight.
Race 2 — (5) ARTHUR SHELBY was "winding up out of the backfield" at the three-quarters last start; recovered from spontaneous break to close considerable ground for fourth; lone two-year-old took time off since November 25, draws well in short field; late speed. (2) JIMS BIG THRILL had every chance in his last two tries, over "good" track conditions; gapped on final turn last Thursday, despite pocket ride behind 1/9 leader Blockbuster Trade; ground-saving trip with lacklustre finish behind passing lane-bound (4) TJ THUNDER, who easily closed for place; more late speed, but not on par with top choice this race.
Race 3 — Loved (3) FIX A DRINK's chances on Rideau arrival, although he jumped it off well behind the gate that week; newly paired with catch driver Jacques Beaudoin last Thursday, he lived up to original expectations in an impressive place finish, following a first-up Amigo Mio; longest shot on the board at 50/1 then, unlikely to be overlooked now after closing in field's-fastest 30.4 over surface with two-second variant. (5) AMIGO MIO's two most recent victories were also his two most recent trips with Guy Gagnon aboard; barely maintained a half-length advantage over fast-closing Fix A Drink at the wire last week, after trotting past vulnerable pacesetter Archimed Alpha (#4 here) in the stretch. (7) SOMETIMES WHEN did heavy lifting in mile won by Drone Seelster's nose in seasonal comeback; third recent pari-mutuel start and third consecutive with Lasix; loses Pascal Berube to Archimed Alpha, but picks up Robbie Robinson, for whom he finished a strong third of five in last qualifier, behind pacers.
Race 4 — Improved draw for (2) LIKE LIGHTNING LOU, who ended up parked in November 25 Rideau debut from post 7; Jessica Turenne finished eighth by 2021 driving wins at Hippodrome 3R, returns for better chance with versatile type she drove to four consecutive victories at Trois-Rivieres, going undefeated in October. (3) NAVALNY was a winning top-choice selection at unexpected 11/1 odds last Thursday; field's-fastest (30.1) last quarter over surface with three-second variant; Pascal Berube used trailing post to full advantage in perfectly-timed overland effort; beaten 8/5 favourite (8) MONTYSGONEMARBLE couldn't hold off the closers after cutting mile; another difficult post this week, but back in line to Stephane Brosseau, who was in the sulky for two of his five 2021 victories.
Race 5 — (2) BLOCKBUSTER TRADE more than lived up to top billing in Ottawa debut last Thursday; going-away smoke show in maiden victory for recent arrivals Robert Shepherd and Isabelle Darveau. (1) DE CHAIRMAN returns with Jimmy Gagnon catch driving for Ted McDonald again; last week's front-end trip from inside post nearly earned him second lifetime win; Rockin Fire recovered from break to circle field for Shepherd, however; now racing without Lasix. In that same race (5) D GS MAGICMOMENT avoided tough distaff pacers for her best result since October; post 8 didn't stop her from flying from last on final turn to fast-closing fourth through traffic in the stretch. (4) MACH TIE SON lost ground as Stephane Pouliot's filly was coming home in field's-second-fastest 31.2; didn't miss a cheque for current catch driver (and O'Brien Future Star finalist) Samuel Fillion last month. (3) MALVOLIO gets class relief this week; trailed throughout last Thursday; reunited with Ryan Guy, for whom he hit board three times this summer at Kawartha Downs; second start since he was scratched injured October 7.
Race 6 — (4) HOOTER SHOOTER, back in line to Stephane Brosseau, seems unlikely to fool anyone here; a winning 3/5 fave in going-away style on most recent class drop; Brosseau's apparent choice over #8 One For Julius; parked third over from last in snowstorm Sunday, he closed gamely on a night when front-end winners prevailed in 7 of 11 races. (5) ROCK N ZEUS turned in his best effort of the year Sunday, under better conditions earlier in the card; he was one of three horses on the whole card to pace a 28-flat closing quarter (none were faster); raced wide from sixth at the half, following first-over Giddy Up Max until that rival self-destructed; couldn't catch runaway winner Four Finger Floyd, but big three-wide closing effort for Robbie Robinson. (6) TASK BAR HANOVER closed from far back for show last Thursday, despite tough post position; closed in field's-fastest 29.3, identical to winner Art Of Fire; gets along well with Jimmy Gagnon, for whom he recently went gate-to-wire in Coville Cup leg.
Race 7 — Y stop now? Win machine (1) YNOTHOS gets the ideal post for her typical trip; expect beaten 9/5 fave (3) PLATINE ALPHA to come calling first over, as she did last Thursday; lone three-year-old was parked after pulling pocket near the half; dug deep to continue gaining on Ynothos to the wire and narrowly hold off (4) HOWMACFIESTY, who closed in field's-co-fastest 30.4; she beat this race's top choice November 18, when the 16-time seasonal winner left from mid-pack post and was buried third along pylons until too late; that scenario is highly unlikely tonight.
Race 8 — (5) SPORT A LUCKY STAR's two seasonal victories were from this track's second-best post for pacers, with Mike Healey driving; tonight, she goes to winningest post from worst; started up passing lane last Thursday, only to find a slowing Sagali (#6 tonight) already there; changed course to close well through traffic, chasing down (4) BATTLE WITH DESIRE, whose win streak has flourished when the track conditions are "good" and she has post 4; a first-over (3) STEELMEATREASURE tested her last Thursday, but never cleared to the front; didn't back down either, applying pressure to the finish.
Race 9 — (3) MS BRAMPTON BEAST saved ground along pylons from near-last in Sunday's snowstorm; troubled trips in last two Coville Cup legs; all six of her 2021 victories all have been on 5/8-mile tracks against $7K distaff claimers; all but one (from post 7) have been front-end efforts; will Guy Gagnon finally try the gate-to-wire approach with this mare, who returns to girls-only competition tonight? (5) JESSICAS LEGACY drew poorly on class hike last start; reunited with Jimmy Gagnon, who drove her to most recent, off-the-pace victory; all of her 2021 wins have been from inside or trailing posts; Thursday's overland voyage ended with a three-wide closing effort, far behind the mighty Ynothos. (6) JK ELLEM ENOH gets class relief for third start Lasix and second in a row with Robert Shepherd in the bike; a non-factor last Thursday; she did close in field's-co-fastest 30.4, but from too far back, too late.
Race 10 — (4) CLOUD NINE HANOVER hasn't won since he was at Rideau Nw30000lcd classification; he and Pascal Berube had tonight's post, stalked from fourth, and sprung the 13/1 upset; they had wired at lower level the previous week; either way, he's got major class relief tonight. (5) ALEXUS EH loses Steeven Genois and adds Raising Rusty's regular pilot Stephane Pouliot; three weeks of closing for show over "good" surface suggest a different strategy for mare with two early-season victories at Mohawk; Thursday, she came second-over from second-last on final turn; too far back to make inroads against a long-gone (2) FLYING ISA N, who went gate-to-wire last week; undefeated from Rideau's front-tier inside posts (#1 and #2) this year, when not facing Preferred company, (1) UNDERCOVER STRIKE shadowed that winner last race, never threatening from loose pocket; winless since August 12, deep closer has often been best from outside posts. (8) EXEMPLAR settled third along pylons and stretched out a first-over Thee Desperado at Mohawk November 25; already tired and backing through field before the break; he did win at Georgian Downs on class drop from Mohawk August 29, racing for previous connections.
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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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