Best Bet – (4) RIPPED AND READY – Race 11
Spot Play – (1) ASHLEYSBEST – Race 12
20-cent Pick 5 – Race 6 – 1,4,6,9/4,5/3/2,3,8/5 = $4.80
20-cent Early Pick 4 – Race 2 – 1,4,5/1,2,6/2,3,4/2,4 = $10.80
20-cent Middle Pick 4 – Race 5 – 2/1,4,6,9/4,5/2,3,9 = $4.80
20-cent Late Pick 4 – Race 9 – 1,2,3,8/2,5/4/1,7,8 = $4.80
Race 1 — (6) ITS EDS IDEA easily won gate-to-wire from this post July 11 with Guy Gagnon, at $8K claiming tag; unable to repeat from outside for other drivers, but that could change: last Sunday, he battled 3/5 fave Mortgage My Villa, got boxed in after dropping into pocket, and nearly took down leader with passing lane move in field's-co-fastest (29.1) last quarter. Class-dropping (3) MATTS TUITION has Gagnon tonight; exits conditioned for claiming ranks; also chose pocket ride last week, got covered up behind Atomic Million Am, and shook loose late; caught by closers. (1) EMPTYTHETILL has been consistent for Vic Puddy since claim; led to a 26.2 opening quarter in previous start at this level from rail, in which he stayed game but was interfered with late; paced co-fastest (29.1) closing quarter chasing Mortgage My Villa last Sunday.
Race 2 — (5) WESTERN PHIL loses Marie-Claude Auger to her own trainee, #7 Walks of Life; last Sunday, he was taken back early from outside post and tipped three-wide from seventh at the top of the stretch; came home widest of all in field's-fastest 29.3, running out of racetrack in pursuit of front-end winner Thundering Jim. Beaten 1/5 fave (1) THINK AGAIN followed cover of Lunar Launch from third over on last turn; changed lanes to accelerate up passing lane in field's-co-fastest 29.3 last Sunday; defeat by light-on-wins class-climber raises questions. (4) PORTRSTOWNCHRIS IR picks up hot hands of Pascal Berube; all four 2021 wins were in claiming company, albeit at Mohawk; parked first-over in latest Coville Cup leg, he retreated through field, proving no match for gate-to-wire Vanilla Malted.
Race 3 — Four of (2) FARMERS TAN's five seasonal victories were at this track; caught wide when taken back en route to opening quarter last Sunday, he settled near back of pack; better draw suggests front-end trip, different outcome for one-dimensional gelding who took lifetime-best here last August with Carol Voyer in the sulky. Post hurts (6) HES GOT A VENDETTA, who took new personal best in mile cut by Four Finger Floyd two starts ago; ground-saving trip and passing lane put him in range of The Regulator at wire last Sunday; field's-fastest (28 flat) last quarter. (1) GIDDY UP MAX last won with an off-the-pace voyage from post 8, August 29; rail may not play to strengths of class-dropping closer; beaten 4/5 fave from outside post on class drop last start.
Race 4 — (4) WINDSUN CHEYENNE didn't care for second-tier posts in latest tries, but last two wins at this track were from tonight's post; runner-up to Vanilla Malted in Coville Cup, after confidence-building victory at Hippodrome 3R; opts for another Rideau start instead of return to 3R; loses Pascal Berube to Gina Bragagnolo stablemate (2) BIG PETES STYLE, who left aggressively from mid-pack last Sunday, taken back to fourth along pylons when caught wide in early battle for command; first-up at the opening quarter, he was parked by leader Atomic Million Am and retreated through field at three-quarters; most recent, going-away victory (August 15) was at higher Nw850pscd classification, on front end all the way. (3) SALTY ROBYN N wired rivals more recently, in seasonal-best clocking; both 2021 Ottawa victories were on class drop, however.
Race 5 — (2) SHADOW MARGEAUX's 2021 victories have all been on class drops at this track; followed cover of Major Hill out of fifth at the half last Sunday, forced to circle that stalled first-up challenger at three-quarters; field's-second-fastest (28.4) last quarter; seasonal best victory here two starts ago, defeating (4) MISSION BAY, whose three wins this year have been here, racing on/near the pace; back at competitive classification; stalked The Regulator from pocket last week, game to the wire; seemingly Samuel Fillion's pick over #3 Officer Jones. (6) CADILLAC BAYAMA is Canada's fastest three-year-old colt of 2021 on a half-mile oval; second Rideau start; front-end-loving Quebec stakes champ was taken to back of pack early last Sunday; class relief after that debut at Preferred level.
Race 6 — (1) FERN HILL FLIGHT draws rail and catch driver Benoit Hebert for latest Coville Cup event; Hebert and Sir Galahad cut mile to win last Sunday, but were set back to second for interference; class/post relief. (4) PTITEBOULEDECHAFRA also struggled from outside post in same October 17th $10K claiming race as top choice; didn't miss top two in previous off-the-pace efforts in Rideau conditioned company. (9) BIG JO had #8 hole in last Coville Cup leg; second-tier start behind likely leaver Fern Hill Flight; two 2020 wins and two 2021 place finishes for Pascal Berube at 3R; boxed in and shuffled back in Ottawa debut. (6) SPORTS BLISS was a first-over winner at Kawartha Downs from same post August 7; beaten 2/1 fave for Guy Gagnon grabbed lead off the wings last Sunday, settled in pocket, and used passing lane to full advantage late. (7) LIL MOE MONEY has been consistently fifth/sixth in latest tries, regardless of class, post, trip or driver.
Race 7 — (4) PRINT MEDIA enjoys class drop; flew home from eighth to fourth in field's-fastest 29-flat last Coville Cup leg. (5) MOSSIES ART wired at Kawartha Downs in last start before class jump; class/post relief for front-end-loving gelding; non-factor from 8-hole last Sunday. (9) WOO SHARK hasn't hit board from second tier in three Rideau tries this year; third along pylons early from same trailing post last Sunday, he inexplicably gapped in fourth going to the three-quarters; class relief tonight.
Race 8 — Ultra-consistent (3) THUNDERING JIM's only recent defeat came two starts ago, when he drew outside Genesee and battled three-wide to make front by the opening quarter. (2) GENESEE pocketed up that race for Clarke Steacy, who's aboard Anne Marie Turenne stablemate (9) JACKSON K DOWN tonight, another gelding who emerged victorious when he drew inside Thundering Jim, albeit for a different driver and in gate-to-wire style September 5.
Race 9 — Classy (3) BESTOFBEST HANOVER faced tougher group last Sunday, from post 7; hasn't won since off-the-pace Nw850pscd victory from that post here last October 11, in line to tonight's driver; class drop puts him at similar level to recent place finish. (2) SHADOW MOON struggled from 8-hole last Sunday; class relief for Hippodrome 3R import who paced his fastest winning mile of the year here two starts ago, his second consecutive race with Lasix. (8) SASKABUSH STEVE hates this post position, yet he's the late speed here; closed for fourth from post 7 a few starts back; could capitalize if likely pacesetter #1 One For Julius faces pressure.
Race 10 — (5) BS TYRRIFIC is reunited with Pascal Berube, who was aboard for all three of this gelding's 2021 wins, including his season's-fastest victory two starts back; at his most consistently "Tyrrific" when temperatures drop: two March wins at Rideau and captured three of seven starts last January-March at Western Fair. Recent claim (2) SAULSBROOK KAISEN left hard three-wide for Richard Simard on class drop last Sunday; covered and shuffled back from single-file third; back in post position of his latest, front-end victory. (9) MORTGAGE MY VILLA draws low-percentage trailing post; tried it for previous connections March 21, quickly following leavers into fourth along pylons and remaining competitive through mile; strong form, but his front-end ways and class jump raise questions.
Race 11 — Beaten 3/1 fave (4) RIPPED AND READY is closing in on first win since September 12, when he landed post 4 courtesy of a scratch; first-over from fourth at the half that race, he held off Crossfit (#5 tonight); third over from second-last at quarter pole in larger field last week, he spent too much time on outside to catch ground-saving winner (6) SEEYOU MEN, who stalked and overtook pacesetting Capteur De Reve in Preferred Handicap from inside post; fastest, winningest trotter of this field in 2021 has also won at Preferred level from tonight's post, racing on front end and holding off (5) CROSSFIT on both occasions; high-stepping closer's most recent victories were earned racing on/near the lead throughout mile, a less-likely scenario with two likely leavers to his inside.
Race 12 — (1) ASHLEYSBEST made front first in last Sunday's Preferred Handicap, shadowing The Light Speed after he cleared to lead; didn't quite reach him despite matching winner's 29-flat last quarter; gate-to-wire winner here for Mike Healey last October 25 at lower classification, significant because this horse recorded two of three seasonal wins last October. (7) THE LIGHT SPEED has been less effective from outside posts, and he's assigned this track's statistically-worst post for pacers tonight; vulnerable late, unlike last week. (8) NATIONAL DEBT was too far back, too long, to make an impact last Sunday; won Preferred Handicap from out here March 21, settling into fifth while longshot Oceanview Magnum laid down a 26-second opening panel and 54.1 half; second-over voyage behind (2) VANILLA MALTED set him up for successful stretch drive that race; going-away front-end Coville Cup win suggests he and regular driver Clarke Steacy should be part of Hi-5, despite class hike. (6) D GS DE VITO makes his first Ottawa appearance since March 28, when he circled early leader Dylans Bank near the quarter, taking command and winning by three open lengths; half-mile track specialist is in deeper here.
*
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
More Tips from the Pros