Best Bet – (5) SHINE A LIGHT – Race 8
Spot Play – (6) PRINT MEDIA – Race 6
20-cent Pick 5 – Race 5 – 4,5,6/2,6/1,6/5/6,7 = $4.80
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 2 – ALL/1,2,3,6/4/4,5,6 = $12.00
20-cent Middle Pick 4 – Race 4 – 2,4,6/4,5,6/2,6/1,6 = $7.20
20-cent Late Pick 4 -- Race 6 -- 2,3,6/1,6,8/1,5,6/6,7 = $10.80
20-cent Last Pick 4 -- Race 8 – 1,3,5,6/3,4,6,7/5,6/2,6 = $12.80
Race 1 — (3) WISK KEY K is back at the track where he picked up all seven seasonal victories, for the same top trainer and usual driver; lowest claiming tag he's raced at all year; last win was September 23, before sickness and unsuccessful move to half-mile tracks; big class drop. (6) REDDIT HANOVER not only had #7 hole in a Coville Cup snowstorm December 5; he also suffered broken equipment (shoes) during the race; three Rideau wins this year, for three different drivers; versatile. (5) DARKEST SECRET gets post/class relief; gapping second-last most of mile last Sunday; paced co-fastest (29.4) closing quarter, but no threat.
Race 2 — (5) THE MAGIC OF LIFE won going away after winding up from fourth on Thursday; winning Spot Play emerged second over from fifth at the quarter pole, following cover of Alexus Eh; successful comeback. (4) LMC MASS GEM finds class relief after place result behind Gloire Dream; win-averse, yet dangerous at this level with stalking trip. Driver change for (3) ALEXUS EH, who was aggressively handled Thursday, coming first over from fourth at the opening quarter for Stephane Pouliot; head-to-head battle with Flying Isa N on tiring track with 4-second variant took a toll on both; backed down at the three-quarters; a show finish in every recent drive by Steeven Genois here.
Race 3 — (3) THUNDERING JIM was understandably claimed back by Guy Gagnon Thursday; he returns to the trainer/driver behind his most recent five-race win streak; will be tough on front end; hard-used last Sunday, taking on Take The Deal first-over for different driver. (1) LUCKY LEONARD exits Coville Cup competition; back in line to Stephane Brosseau, for whom he recorded latest win here November 11; doesn't show same late speed as top choice this race, so more vulnerable if he leaves. (6) SOS JUSTIFIED is versatile; won from rail Sunday, but from off the pace rather than the front-end style that provided back-to-back Rideau wins this July from same inside post; closed in field's-co-fastest 29.2 for nose-margin victory last weekend.
Race 4 — (4) ST LADS CAPTAIN was beaten 7/5 fave Thursday; sat third and was covered up by Emptythetill en route to the half; became hopelessly boxed in, caught directly behind Brookletsjustified, who was backing away on the last turn; the definition of a troubled trip. (2) WHATS INTHE ESKY A's latest victory was from Rideau rail in gate-to-wire style August 1; first-over from fourth at the opening quarter last start, he ended up parked and reversed to last by the three-quarters; post/class relief plus driver change could shake things up. (6) PANTHEON SEELSTER rode the pocket behind Mach Jacobs last Sunday; looked to be under a strong hold by Samuel Fillion, but unable to hunt down first-over Peter Poole or Mach Jacobs down the stretch, given every opportunity.
Race 5 — (6) DREYDL HANOVER discreetly dropped into Rideau Nw4000l3cd class February 21, stalked and popped at 14/1; then he moved up to Preferred, changed tracks, etc. without much success until a November 17 front-end trip at Flamboro; win column better with age and a history of sneaky-good results at this track. (5) SPORTS JACKET is possibly Pascal Berube's pick over #3 Big Petes Style; strong recent form, including stalking trip in going-away win two starts back over optimistically "good" surface. (4) WINDSONG NAPOLEON didn't want to take a seat at the back of the bus Sunday; half in/half out early, he was happy to chase down pacesetting Dylans Bank; game performances on successive class jumps. (1) MORTGAGE MY VILLA's form improved on class drops; strong closer in a field with no clear pacesetter, but he's in deeper than last week or that of his most recent win. (2) SAULSBROOK KAISEN is reunited with Guy Gagnon; returns to Ottawa after diminishing returns at Mohawk; winless since September 19, when he faced lesser Rideau pacers than these.
Race 6 — Class-dropper (6) PRINT MEDIA was parked Sunday; back at level where his late speed makes him a serious threat to (2) FOUR FINGER FLOYD, who moves up in class because he deserves to; Guy Gagnon's front-end-loving gelding has the most current, consistent raw speed of this group. (3) ROCK N ZEUS has turned in big overland efforts here for Robbie Robinson, but in both races where he challenged "Floyd", he couldn't catch the winningest horse in tonight's field.
Race 7 — (6) BANKROLL gets class relief but loses Guy Gagnon to his own trainee, #3 Western Phil; consistent closer was covered up last Sunday; came home in field's-co-fastest 29-flat, the fastest closing quarter on the entire card. (1) OUTLAW KISMET hasn't raced since December 5; returns at lower classification than he left; recently over his head; now dropping back to level near that of his latest victory, October 24, when he and Steeven Genois closed into collapsing speed up front, stalking from third along pylons as Saulsbrook Kaisen led to the three-quarters in 1:23 flat. (8) TASK BAR HANOVER endured post 8 in the Brian Jerome Memorial/Coville Cup final last Sunday, closing for show in field's-fastest 30-flat; gaining on breakaway leaders to the finish for Jimmy Gagnon, who's back to drive here.
Race 8 — (5) SHINE A LIGHT recorded back-to-back victories here on class climb in September; swooped in late for Ryan Guy at 6/1 and 10/1 in consecutive weeks (Guy drives his own Star Dog tonight, #9 this race); caught sixth behind stalled cover of Salty Robyn N last weekend, closing wide after losing ground on final turn; a well-timed swoop gets him the win for Marie-Claude Auger. (1) BET TILL DAWN was just a neck away from his second win of the year last Sunday; very light on wins and up in class; 2021 Coville Cup champ Mike Healey boosts chances. (6) PRINCE GIOVANNI has a noteworthy driver change: trainer Don Jobin has listed Stephane Pouliot; they finished second the last time they joined forces, albeit at lower classification than tonight's.
Race 9 — (6) BLACK TIE BASH was a victim of post 7 and a third-over voyage from last at the quarter in most recent Preferred Handicap; closed widest of all down stretch for place; field's-fastest (29.1) closing quarter. (7) RIPPED AND READY prevailed last weekend, lands tougher post here; he was second over from fourth at the half last start, then circled first-up (4) CROSSFIT to trot past late; paid price for tough overland trip; has hit board in 22 of 33 starts so far this season.
Race 10 — (6) NATIONAL DEBT is back after some time off; ran out of racetrack in most recent defeat: he was narrowly second from tonight's post two starts ago, in first-over trip where (5) THE LIGHT SPEED circled to the lead before the opening quarter; three-year-old has dominated in the absence of National Debt; well-rested rival will put him to the test tonight. (3) RACEMUP wired from #7 hole on class drop last start; returns to top class after confidence-builder; won Rideau Preferred from post 4 July 1, going gate-to-wire against a group that didn't include either of the top two picks for tonight's race.
Race 11 — (6) STONEBRIDGE BEACH was a 9/1 winner from tonight's post, taking down The Regulator on November 7; that was on class drop from Rideau Preferred; covered up in pocket behind The Regulator and was shuffled to last Sunday. (2) TWIN B LAKER faces class hike with Guy Gagnon aboard; looks to be closing in on a win soon. (3) ASHLEYSBEST enjoys major class relief on drop from Preferred Handicap; gate-to-wire winner for Mike Healey in previous try at similar classification to tonight's race. (8) THE REGULATOR also makes that class drop, albeit from tough outside post; versatile type who's finished third in his last three starts from same post position; he did also spring a 24/1 off-the-pace upset from Rideau #8 hole in his return to racing June 13; ambitiously cut early fractions in latest Preferred. (1) HES GOT A VENDETTA was beaten 8/5 fave last outing; left aggressively from rail, but no match for front-end winner Racemup.
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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.
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