Best Bet – (1) – SANTANNA TONY – Race 5
Spot Play – (4) – PRECIEUSE CC – Race 4
20-cent Early Pick 4 (race 3) – 3,4,5/3,4,5/1/2,8 = $3.60
20-cent Late Pick 4 (race 7) –2,7/3,5,8/3,6/2,6,9 = $7.20
Race 1 – (1) JIM BLUE finished second to the now-absent SOS Faline in July 16 pari-mutuel debut at Rideau Carleton, with tonight’s driver Ryan Guy aboard and identical inside post; originally qualified July 4 in 1:57 flat effort at Kawartha Downs; dam Blue Angel Cam was second in her first lifetime start at Kawartha, also for conditioner Kevin Benn, and won the following week. (3) D GS RUNFORHIM made first lifetime start July 12 at Georgian Downs, leaving aggressively from post #7 but giving ground gradually throughout the mile to finish fifth; still paced a 29.1 closing quarter, and like #1 Jim Blue, has sub-2:00 efforts in a single qualifier and a single race so far in his career; this is first start at this track, with new catch driver Jonathan Lachance. (5) GOT SEXY SCARS has more experience than the top pair this race, collecting string of fourth-place results here; second in earnings to only #1 Jim Blue, lone filly hasn’t displayed much interest in mixing it up with rivals, to date; did pace respectable 1:58.2 mile July 9 for trainer/driver Gilles Gendron.
Race 2 – (5) MONTANABLACKANGEL gets the class drop from Nw1r18500lcd level in what promises to be a war of attrition among erratic trotters; was second-over in fourth, following the now-absent SOS Turbo to the three-quarters here July 16, tipped 3-wide for the stretch drive, then backed off through a 31.2 last quarter; intrigued by Clarke Steacy remaining with 4-year-old for second consecutive try from same post. (4) AIM HIGH HANOVER was taken back to second-last off the gate July 16, which presented difficulty when trying to catch runaway longshot winner, tonight’s #6 Beyond the Lens; it was a different tactic from July 9, when the Jacques Beaudoin owned/driven mare fended off challenger Lindas Pride, only to get stung late by Liv Seelster; 3-time 2020 place finisher has history of losing ground late. (6) BEYOND THE LENS got the jump on Rideau rivals last week, wiring them all in a 1:59 maiden victory from post #5; that win at 70/1 odds was his first race for catch driver Stephane Brosseau, who returns tonight; one-dimensional 3-year-old has high speed but a light resume riddled with breaks.
Race 3 – (3) REDDIT HANOVER stunned rivals June 14 at Rideau Carleton’s Nw1r15000lcd level, hunting down and putting away pacesetting #4 Cal Hanover in 1:55.4, last quarter 27.3; that effort, from trailing post #9, hasn’t been repeated although the Ann-Marie Turenne-owned/trained 4-year-old has shown improvements week by week for Stephane Brosseau; was taken directly to back of the pack July 16, closing from seventh in a 29 flat final quarter that equalled that of the winner, tonight’s #1 McFreely. (4) CAL HANOVER is the apparent choice of driver Guy Gagnon, who went with over #9 Brutus Bayama; consistent 4-year-old has missed top 3 just twice in 14 seasonal starts; Gagnon last drove the Rachel Archer trainee in June 14 show finish where he was a beaten front-end fave, but was also in the bike for gate-to-wire 1:55.4 win June 7; both were at Nw1r15000lcd classification. (5) SHINE A LIGHT is the fastest (1:53.3) pacer in this field, sitting atop a 3-race gate-to-wire win streak in which tonight’s #9 Brutus Bayama was runner-up every time; note that those wins came at lower classifications, most recently NW7900LCD July 16, and against mainly 3-year-old competitors—only 3 older horses, all less accomplished than those in this race, were spread over Shine a Light’s previous 3 starts.
Race 4 – (4) PRECIEUSE CC is a Hippodrome 3R Preferred-2&3 mare whose recent breaking issues over the half-mile oval may have landed her back at the track where she took her 1:57 flat record last year; in that impressive performance last Sept. 29, she and owner/trainer/driver Claude Beausoleil overcame post #8 and fought off Stormont Knight and LMC Mass Gem after taking charge past the half; narrowly third to pair of pacers in July 18 qualifier at Trois-Rivieres, she must be back in Ottawa for a reason, like avenging boxed-in eighth-place result June 21, her most recent visit; cautious optimism. (3) GHIRARDELLI LINDY has class edge over rivals here, making second successive class drop in a month at Rideau Carleton; has not duplicated his gate-to-wire, 1:58.4, Nw4000l3cd-level season-opener since moving up to “not listed” Preferred Handicap June 14, despite trotting faster miles in every start since the win; Ryan Guy drives the 11-year-old veteran for first time, because regular reinsman Richard Simard is committed to his own trainee, #5 Orlys Pride. (5) ORLYS PRIDE won with broken equipment at Rideau Nw1r18500lcd classification last week from post #6, his third consecutive top-2 finish in as many weeks; conditioner Richard Simard drives 4-year-old who trotted lifetime-best 1:58.2 here June 25, but will need to dig deeper to take on what promises to be a more assertively-handled #3 Ghirardelli Lindy.
Race 5 – (1) SANTANNA TONY moves in from post #6, which didn’t hurt his predicted show finish in Rideau Carleton $7000 claiming company July 16; recorded 12 show finishes last year, but has only one top-3 result in 2020, a March 8 victory at Rideau; he was able to overtake leaders tiring over a “good” surface for the 2:00.4 win that night, and has recently been pacing 1:57 and quicker miles with less to show for it; retains Tyler Jones as catch driver. (3) EVERY GIRLS DESIRE adds catch driver Pascal Berube, hinting that something closer to 13-year-old gelding’s June 11 place finish could be brewing on the class drop; sub-1:56 performances in 3 latest starts were accompanied by “also-ran” status; overall 2019/20 results suggest a place finish is more likely than a win. (7) OXFORD COMMA is one of just three pacers in this field with 2 on-the-board results in 2020, although the lone mare remains winless; $7000 claimer frequently has some late pace; apparent choice of Ryan Guy, regularly seen in the sulky of #2 Dontburstmybubble.
Race 6 – (2) PERFECT DALIANCE put in a brave overland effort from post #6 to end up fourth, clocked in 1:56.4, behind the hot Déjà Vu Seelster in Rideau distaff Nw7500l company July 16; she was 30/1 that race and hasn’t hit board in 4 career tries, but 4-year-old mare and regular driver Jonathan Lachance helpfully evade Déjà Vu Seelster and Nectar in this easier group. (8) COOL HAND LUCAN and Guy Gagnon were second to the now-absent Retour au Jeu at Rideau Carleton July 19, timed in 1:56.3; 4-year-old maiden put up a first-over challenge to that front-end rival, but couldn’t make inroads despite urging; this is second start in a row with Gagnon driving the Rachel Archer trainee. (1) STONEY CURTIS was a Georgian Downs judges’ scratch July 12, the day after he struggled at that venue’s 15000clmcd level from post #7; July 4 at Georgian, this 3-year-old colt closed well from post #2 to grab the place spot behind winner Village Champ in 1:56.2; driver change to Ryan Guy and inside post advantage elevate his chances tonight; dam is the 1:52.1, $178K winner Alpine Gold N. (7) TRINITY LAURIE won in 1:56 flat at this track last year, yet has struggled at age 4; she’s winless but pacing sub-1:57 miles for Donald Jobin June 18 and 25, actually closing in 28.3 for show behind the aforementioned Nectar and Déjà Vu Seelster in her last start before July 9 judges’ scratch; hasn’t raced since then and post is unhelpful. (5) ADAM BAYAMA is a 4-year-old ungelded homebred with trainer Yves Filion in the sulky for his third career start, raising hopes that the best is still ahead; dam Violet Bayama did not win until her second year of racing, and then recorded all 3 victories on the front end at Woodbine, closing for place on 4 other occasions; show finish from off the pace June 25, then time off due to illness, for 3-time sub-1:58 pacer.
Race 7 – (7) STPADDYSDAY has only missed hitting board in one start this year, leaving from post #6 in Hippodrome 3R Preferred-2&3 Handicap July 17; Sylvain Cote-co-owned/trained mare has finished third in half her 2020 races, but is actually field’s winningest trotter (8 lifetime, 7 last year); debut for driver Tyler Jones for 5-year-old who tends toward stealthy victories when least expected, such as pair of 2019 stalk-and-pop wins at Rideau Carleton, in which she was overlooked at 9/2 and 8/1. (2) FIERCE MAGIC is back in same post position, only at higher classification than when his front-end trip fell short in the stretch of Nw1r18500lcd trot July 16; has used speed and closing ability to get on the board in all 4 seasonal starts; took 1:58.3 career-best win here July 9 with regular driver Pascal Berube, exiting pocket to sting pacesetting fave Orlys Pride. (3) ARCHIES STAR was a 1:56.4 place finisher in Mohawk OSS Grassroots action last week, taking his front-end style on the road with co-owner/trainer/driver Guy Gagnon; 3-year-old has shown versatility, late speed, and few breaks, collecting all 3 career victories with Gagnon in the bike.
Race 8 – (8) SOS JUSTIFIED was claimed July 12 and now races for trainer Anne-Marie Turenne, with Tyler Jones rather than Guy Gagnon driving; rewarded his new connections with a Rideau Carleton Op10000clm-level win July 16, winning from off the pace in 1:55.3 from post #5; with 8 victories in 16 starts this year (6 wins at Rideau Carleton), his rare fourth-place result June 18 was the result of closing from further back than usual, going third-over in fifth to the ¾ and then forced to go 4-wide in the final turn due to traffic. (5) LARRY IS DEBS ROCK has now been beaten favourite in 3 consecutive starts at Rideau Carleton and Kawartha Downs, where he was claimed July 4; second start for owner/trainer Robert Bernicky July 16 involved being unable to make front early for driver Richard Simard, trying again third-over, but ending up fifth after going 3-wide on last turn; he was still gaining at the wire. (3) MOHEGAN BLUE CHIP gains Guy Gagnon for first start since setting seasonal-best 1:54.3 personal record in gate-to-wire victory here; class climb from previous 7000clmcd level, although good recent form and inside post help.
Race 9 – (3) MUSIC NOTE is half of an informal John MacMillan stable entry this race, with stablemate #4 She the North to his immediate outside; no factor here June 14 or 28, in successive off-the-board finishes far behind the victorious Micheles Z Tam; 4-year-old was a 2-time gate-to-wire winner last year at Kawartha Downs, taking the fastest mark in this field (1:56.4); a place finish in last start at Kawartha July 18, timed in the fastest last performance of anyone here (1:56 flat). (6) QUEENJANE BLUECHIP didn’t do best work from previous post #5-6 draws; class-dropping from distaff Nw9500 pace where she was runner-up to the now-absent Déjà Vu Seelster July 9; her 2 career victories were back-to-back at Rideau Carleton’s NW7500LCD level last October, both for returning reinsman Pascal Berube. (4) SHE THE NORTH could make #6 Queenjane Bluechip’s trip a bit more challenging, although she has not shown speed of top 2 choices this race; can leave, as she did in front-end place result at Kawartha June 27, but doesn’t finish her miles as strong.
Race 10 – (6) PANTHEON SEELSTER gains class relief and is the apparent choice of catch driver Pascal Berube this race; late gains in position in fourth-place result July 19, leaving from same post position and turning in a 29 second closing quarter for Berube; sub-1:56 miles in last 5 charted lines. (9) BET TILL DAWN was a beaten top-choice selection July 9 and 16, after wiring rivals in 1:56.3 qualifier July 5 for Richard Simard; trailing position, after being saddled with post #7 last race, sets him up for stalking trip that permitted a 1:54.3 place finish behind Mohegan Blue Chip in his second-last effort; fourth on the class climb from tough post last outing. (1) SHRIMP AND GRITS has a varied resume spanning 4 different tracks and 5 catch drivers in his 6 most recent past performance lines; place finisher behind Lookin at a Winner July 16 at lower classification, taking overland route despite landing rail; newest catch driver Guy Gagnon and a second shot from winningest post for pacers make him playable. (5) ITS ALL WORTH it had 2 victories last year, both at Rideau Carleton, at NW850PSCD and NW1RCD classifications; the common denominator was racing on/near the front end, a tactic which made him runner-up as beaten fave for last week’s catch driver Pascal Berube July 16; note the 4 sub-1:56 miles in 5 current charted lines, plus the absence of Singhampton Kenny, who outsprinted him last week. (2) OFFICIALLY RUSTY disappointed as top choice July 16, when he was parked from post #5 at Nw455pscd classification, dropping back to sixth in the stretch; driver change to Rodney Laframboise for Ron Charette-owned/trained gelding; front-end-loving pacer was completely boxed in through most of July 12 start and lands better post for better trip this race.
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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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