Best Bet – (3) – G P DREAMIN – Race 5
Spot Play – (9) – PIER HO CADO – Race 6
20-cent Early Pick 4 - Race 3 – 1,2,3,5,6/1,8/3/3,9 = $4.00
20-cent Late Pick 4 - Race 7 – 1/4,6/4,7/1,3,5,9= $3.20
Race 1 – (4) BRINYS A FLIRT had 2 rivals break right in front of her in July 2 OSS Gold division at Mohawk; she kept trotting and was flying up the inside late, at odds of 79/1; Suzanne Kerwood trainee reconnects with catch driver Chris Christoforou for the first race since they were third in a June 23 Mohawk qualifier, timed in 1:56.4. (7) ALEXA BLUE CHIP broke her maiden in second lifetime start June 13 at Georgian Downs, stalking stablemate Eternal Jewel to emerge late and capture the Nw15000lcd event in 1:59.3; she has since moved from trainer John Bax to Carmen Auciello; identical 28.3 closing quarters in last 2 starts (at Clinton and Mohawk) suggest a filly ready to rebound on favoured track dimension; Jonathan Drury stays aboard for her second OSS Grassroots event: they were runners-up to the exceptional Moana at Clinton July 5. (8) SHEER ENERGY is well-travelled filly making Rideau Carleton debut for trainer/driver Rick Zeron; did not enjoy trailing spot at Mohawk July 16; 3-year-old sold as a $187K yearling but has yet to live up to expectations; show finish in July 5 OSS Grassroots at Clinton.
Race 2 – (3) TRINA moved from conditioner Per Henriksen to the barn of co-owner Blake MacIntosh this season; back-to-back 1:57 wins in July 14 and 21 Mohawk qualifiers were prep miles for her return to pari-mutuel competition in this OSS Gold division; trotted to Harvest Series victory in this field’s fastest 2-year-old performance last Oct. (1:55.4 at Mohawk); note driver change to James MacDonald, as Chris Christoforou apparently chose #4 Susies Lady. (5) PL NOTSONICE has this group’s most experience on 5/8-mile tracks, including the fastest record (1:54 flat over Pocono July 14 in distaff Nw2pm company); hasn’t missed top 2 in 4 races this year, including July 2 OSS Gold at Mohawk, when she was second to the now-absent GP Dreamin for returning reinsman Jonathan Drury. (6) PRINCESSPARTYPANTS was an off-the-pace winner in her July 2 OSS Gold event at Mohawk, unleashing a field’s-fastest 27.2 last quarter to trot past tonight’s #2 Shape Shifter; undeniable late speed, yet only one win this year for trainer/driver Roger Mayotte.
Race 3 – (3) CRAVING YOU has Jean-Bernard Renaud catch driving for co-owner Anthony Haughan in this Prospect Series leg; 4 respectable efforts in 4 starts this year, most recently finishing third as beaten fave in Georgian Downs Nw5000lcd July 18, timed in 1:58.4; interfered with in July 2 start at Mohawk, and a narrowly-beaten 1:58 flat place finisher in Georgian June 20 attempt to go gate-to-wire. (1) KEEP YA HEAD UP jumped it off July 18 at Georgian, at the start and again during the race, for driver Rene Dion; steady-gaited 1:58.3 place performance with added trotting hopples in June 30 Mohawk qualifier raises hopes she can replicate from helpful post tonight, after consecutive draws putting her in post #8; Guy Gagnon catch drives. (5) LIV SEELSTER and stablemate #9 Warrawee Vulcan are both James Armitage trainees, with Rodney Laframboise retaining the drive on “Liv”; she was badly parked July 16, finishing seventh behind longshot winner Beyond the Lens; look back to July 9 for a better example of what she can do: a 2:00.2 maiden victory, final quarter in 29.2, at Rideau Carleton.
Race 4 – (8) VALIDATION has co-owner/trainer Rick Zeron in the sulky; wired OSS Grassrooters at Clinton in 2:00 flat effort for Colin Kelly July 5; broke maiden at Rideau Carleton’s Nw8000lcd level June 18 for Robert Robinson in going-away 1:58.1 mile over males; home track advantage for front-end loving filly with challenging but not impossible post. (1) ALPINA finished sixth behind winner GP Dreamin in OSS Gold at Mohawk July 2; class-dropping into Nw1r7000lcd company there July 16, she and regular reinsman Bob McClure set the pace early and held on for second behind Magic Cape, individually timed in 1:58.1 over a “good” surface; double-digit odds both of those starts, maiden looks to be building up to a win. (3) PEPPAS ANGEL is another with sub-1:58 charted lines here; her best effort was undoubtedly her place finish at Clinton Raceway July 2 with trainer/co-owner Dustin Jones in the bike for OSS Grassroots: leaving from post #7, she nearly caught the now-absent Th Present from off the pace; Chris Christofourou takes the lines on filly whose best work to date has been on half-mile tracks.
Race 5 – (3) GP DREAMIN is 4 for 4 this year, with Jody Jamieson aboard for all but the last of those overpowering front-end victories at Mohawk; they opened up by nearly 6 lengths on OSS Gold rivals July 2 for a 1:53.3 win that just missed Spirit of Deo’s 2020 Canadian divisional record; whether she likes 5/8-mile Rideau Carleton is the only real question. (6) WINE RACK HANOVER was an O’Brien Award finalist at age 2; tonight, she and catch driver Sylvain Filion pursue her first seasonal win in 4 tries; runner-up to #3 GP Dreamin in their July 17 match-up at Mohawk, she was timed in 1:54.3 but still getting back to the Grand Circuit-level form she showed in 2019. (2) WARRAWEE VICKY races without Lasix, but she qualified well without it July 17, finishing second by a head to Spun From Magic in 1:57.1 at Mohawk for regular driver Doug McNair; gate-to-wire 1:54.2 winner in July 2 OSS Gold at Mohawk.
Race 6 – (9) PIER HO CADO could be a gift if the new addition of trotting hopples keeps her on gait for Sylvain Filion; timed in 1:58.2 in finishing fourth in hoppled July 17 Mohawk qualifier; 2020 pari-mutuel debut for maiden Benoit Baillargeon trainee. (3) NOBLESSE DUHARAS has been strong in all but her most recent start, finishing last in a Mohawk Nw2r20000lcd event with trainer Denis Gueriel in the sulky; it was 2-time winner’s first off-the-board finish in 2020, but also her first pari-mutuel effort over a big track; adds catch driver Bob McClure. All of (4) CUTE ACCOUNTANT’s breaking issues this year have taken place over half-mile tracks; she stayed trotting for returning reinsman James MacDonald in June 2 Mohawk qualifying win, wiring rivals in 1:58.1. (2) ST HELENS has 3 place finishes this season in 4 starts for trainer Gregg McNair and driver Doug McNair; they have been over half-mile tracks and she hasn’t cracked the 2:00 barrier, yet her steady-gaitedness stands out in a field where staying flat is a prime consideration. (7) MAG N ROSES was fifth from post #6 in Clinton OSS Grassroots July 5; she trotted a 28.4 closing quarter that race , secures catch driver Guy Gagnon here for only her third pari-mutuel start this year.
Race 7 – (1) HICKMAN COUNTY gets winningest Rideau Carleton post position as she and Sylvain Filion attempt to repeat their June 18 3f-Nw1r7000l victory at Mohawk; that quick-closing 1:57.2 effort has been improved on by the Benoit Baillargeon trainee, who was fourth, timed in 1:55.4, July 17 at the same venue; off-the-pace specialist poses threat to front-end lovers here. (5) PROFOUND PARAGON has 3 consecutive wins for co-owner/trainer Julie Walker and driver Jean-Bernard Renaud; racing on or near the lead has worked out in each winning trip at Georgian and in Clinton OSS Grassroots, yet leaves likely leader profoundly vulnerable to #1 Hickman County’s late moves. (4) GODDESS DE VIE exits OSS Gold competition for Grassroots here; she was fourth for Doug McNair at the higher-level stake at Mohawk July 2, finishing her own mile in 1:55.1 behind absent winner (and tonight’s Best Bet, in race 5) GP Dreamin; that’s enough for top-3 credibility against these despite a single show result from 5 tries in 2020.
Race 8 – (4) SHE ROCKS KEMP and Trevor Henry closed in 28.2 for her first 2020 victory last week at Mohawk’s Nw2r20000lcd classification, taking a 1:54.3 personal best; tonight’s #3 Kombucha got the win July 2, when Henry’s filly finished fourth in OSS Gold there in only her second pari-mutuel start with trotting hopples; could upset tonight. (6) YEN finished third in July 2 OSS Gold action at Mohawk, coming from off the pace in a quick 27.3 but unable to catch the now-absent Princesspartypants; a late move in July 17 effort at that track produced her career-best 1:54.4 record in a On3fnw60000l-level win for Rick Zeron, who again handles the filly for conditioner Julie Walker tonight. (3) KOMBUCHA has 3 place finishes and 2 victories in a 7-race campaign where she has never finished off the board for trainer/driver Paul MacDonell; her last win was by over 5 open lengths in a 1:59.2 March 19 qualifier in Campbellville, a scenario which cannot be envisioned in OSS Gold company she faces here.
Race 9 – (4) MOANA overcame post #7 in an amazing OSS Grassroots performance at Clinton Raceway July 5 for returning reinsman James MacDonald and trainer Shawn Steacy; that was first top-3 finish of 2020 for filly who was 3-time winner at age 2; turning in sub-29 second closing quarters every week at Mohawk despite troubled trips, this is a filly with great current form who needs only open road; landing second-best post for trotters is icing on the cake. (7) PROTOSTAR races for conditioner Dustin Jones and Rideau Carleton regular Tyler Jones; did not enjoy the four turns at Clinton Raceway in July 5 OSS Grassroots gallop; stepped up big time in July 17 Mohawk Nw2r20000lcd effort, closing from seventh to third in the stretch for a 1:55.4 personal mile; a June 15 3f-Nw1r7000l level winner at same venue using front-end approach. (1) READY TO DEAL is one of Dagfin Henriksen’s 2 Rideau Carleton starters tonight; went off at 12/1 when she cut all the early fractions before fading to fourth in July 5 Grassroots action at half-mile Clinton; show finisher in one-mile Hawthorne Raceway’s Busse Stake June 7, where she also drew the rail and led the way before being stung late as beaten fave.
Race 10 – (1) BADSTORMANYPORT gets the rail and catch driver Sylvain Filion for a chance at redemption tonight; post relief helps Anne-Marie Turenne trainee with this field’s second-fastest 2020 win clocking over this track (1:53 flat) and 6 on-the-board results from ten starts; Guy Gagnon was aboard for that gate-to-wire record victory June 21 but drives his own #3 Big Petes Style here. (3) BIG PETES STYLE tried an overland approach from post #5 last start, finishing third behind Brigadierbronski A at the higher Op18000clm classification; his most recent win was July 12, when he outsprinted tonight’s #1 Badstormanyport in 1:53.3 front-end effort for owner/trainer/driver Guy Gagnon; the rival gets the post advantage and intriguing catch driver here, making for an exciting match-up. (5) ITS EDS IDEA gains the catch driving services of Bob McClure; a badly-shuffled beaten fave July 19 facing Rideau’s Op15000clm company, this field’s fastest winner of the year (1:52.2) is dangerous on the front end, as he’s proven 3 times in 12 starts already. (9) ROAD RUNNER COLONY seems playable from trailing spot with the addition of Jody Jamieson; bound to follow somebody like Big Petes Style or Its Eds Idea if those front-end types blast as usual; 3 show finishes in 7 tries this year. (6) ASHLEYSBEST lost ground late in previous 2 efforts in Nw2750l3cd company here; wired rivals July 5 in 1:53.4, beating runner-up Big Petes Style on that occasion for Pascal Berube; do not envision a repeat for latest catch driver Tyler Jones, but with 3 on-the-board results in 5 seasonal starts, he’s Pick-5 material.
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