Spot Play – (1) – CASCADA – Race 5
Best Bet – (2) – GENESEE – Race 4
20-cent Early Pick 4 - Race 3 – 1,5,7/2,4/1,5/4,7 = $4.80
20-cent Late Pick 4 - Race 7 – 5,6/1,6/1,6/1,3,6= $4.80
Race 1 – (4) ST LADS CASH finished a quick-closing second to Lil Moe Money as a beaten Best Bet at Rideau Carleton’s Nw850pscd level August 2; 4-year-old makes second start here since leaving Mohawk following claim; loses driver Rodney Laframboise, as he’s driving #1 Twin B Laker this race; Ryan Guy takes the lines on pacer timed in 1:56 flat with a final quarter of 28.2 last week. (1) TWIN B LAKER is Rodney Laframboise’s apparent pick over our top selection; owner/trainer Helene Filion’s gelding hasn’t raced since July 26, when he was a beaten fave finishing fourth at Hippodrome 3R; last victory came July 12 from post #2 at Rideau Nw850pscd level, similar to tonight’s classification, when he nosed out tonight’s #9 Realrubies at Play in 1:54.2. (2) CANADIAN EDITION closed in 28.2 for fourth here August 2, when he faced tonight’s #3 St Lads Cash and now-absent winner Lil Moe Money; a well-beaten eighth in return to pari-mutuel action at Rideau Carleton Nw2750l3cd level July 26, yet timed in 1:54.4; closing in on a quarter-million dollars in career earnings.
Race 2 – (6) OSIRIS BLUE CHIP makes second Rideau Carleton start for Mandy and Rachel Archer, gaining catch drive from Guy Gagnon; 3-time 2020 Mohawk winner was fifth in the now-absent Mcjagersonthemove’s 1:51.1 Canadian seasonal record mile August 2; pacesetting type shows more raw speed than other likely leavers to his inside tonight; #1 State of Play is stablemate. (3) MISTER GODRO arrives at Rideau after enjoying success throughout July at Kawartha Downs and Mohawk; claimed July 19 and now racing for Clarke and Cara Steacy, the 7-year-old took seasonal-best 1:54 mark in July 25 win at Kawartha, which matched his fastest career victory, paced at this track in 2018; has hit board in half his 16 starts this year, but his top rival this race is a second or more faster. (5) ZEN DA BALLYKEEL picks up catch driver Rodney Laframboise; 8-for-17 in on-the-board results so far this year, the popular claimer is up in class this race, but showed readiness when he closed in 28.2 for fourth behind now-absent winner Road Runner Colony July 30, from trailing post; last victory was July 9 at Rideau $10,000 claiming level in gate-to-wire style that seems improbable against these.
Race 3 – (1) WILDWILD MEN gets massive class relief from “not listed” Preferred here, while retaining Guy Gagnon; won in 1:55.3 July 5 in previous try at Rideau Carleton’s Nw4000l3cd level, with conservative steer by Gagnon; breaking issues seem better in last couple of races, where he closed for show behind Capteur de Reve and Boo Thang in back-to-back identical Triactors. (5) LESTENPERCENT was second to #4 Hat Trick Marleau in Nw4000l3cd trot August 1, going first over in that 1:57.1 trip where he ended up a length back of the second-over rival; beaten fave was a 5-open-length winner here July 19 at lesser Nw2800l3cd level. (7) PASADENA STAR showed little from post #8 on the class drop August 2; in his last try at Nw4000l3cd classification, he was beaten fave as runner-up to the now-absent Severus Hanover June 28; post position is a consideration, as his best recent results were from rail; trainer Stephane Pouliot drives winningest horse in this group, just as he did when they wired Nw2700L3CD rivals from post #7 in 1:56.4 win last August 4.
Race 4 – (2) GENESEE is apparent choice of catch driver Tyler Jones, over #3 Santanna Tony; class dropper closed well in first start for Jones August 1, finishing second to the now-absent Road Runner Colony in a personal 1:56 mile; second start Lasix. (4) DINNER AT THE MET was fifth as beaten fave July 30 and hasn’t raced since; resumes Lasix and remains at $7000 claiming level; no one else in this field has been turning in sub-29-second last quarters in recent starts; upset potential. (3) SANTANNA TONY disappointed as Best Bet July 23, edged out by Every Girls Desire, but rebounded to turn the tables on that same rival in a 1:56.2 victory for Tyler Jones in August 2 Nw480pscd pace; Gary Mc Donald-owned/trained pacer loses Jones to top pick, gets services of Pascal Berube tonight; mild closer is up in class for fourth consecutive race.
Race 5 – (1) CASCADA won for Jacques Beaudoin in 1:56 flat stalking trip at Rideau’s “not listed” Preferred classification July 12, from same post as tonight; finished fourth from post #5 last week; upset potential if the likely fave can’t make front early, a real possibility from outermost post. (5) CAPTEUR DE REVE moves out for first time after trio of wins from interior post positions; 3-time winner in 6 starts this year took his 1:55.4 seasonal best here at lower level July 12; front-end trips have been flawless. (4) BOO THANG has been the bridesmaid in previous pair of match-ups with tonight’s #5 Capteur de Reve, and #1 Cascada; Pierre Bovay-trained/driven can stalk or close well from further back, yet he’s winless at Rideau this year and a step slower than the top choice.
Race 6 – (4) BET TIL DAWN adds Guy Gagnon after a place result for Richard Simard August 2; his 29.4 last quarter and 1:55.1 performance were among the more enthusiastic efforts of any in this formless group; winless in 2020, except for that gate-to-wire 1:56.3 qualifier July 5, from post #5. (7) KWIK TALKIN is always closing, yet seldom reaching the top 3; class relief as he visits Rideau with newest reinsman Clarke Steacy in the bike; has been chasing much faster than these and did manage a 1:54.1 victory at Kawartha this season. (9) ROSE RUN SLIDER has latest catch driver Jonathan Lachance aboard this race; trailing position is preferable to difficult post #7 assignment August 2, from which he closed in 29.3 from far back to get fourth, individually timed in 1:57; Tyler Jones has opted for #5 Singhampton Kenny tonight, but the last time this pacer had a post to the inside (#3 on July 2, at Rideau’s lower Nw405l5cd classification), he stalked tonight’s #8 Passionate Prince and popped late for the going-away 1:54.4 victory. (1) EVERY GIRLS DESIRE finished second to Santanna Tony August 2 in Nw480pscd company; worked out stalking trip on class drop July 23 in first effort for returning catch driver Pascal Berube; the 1:56.4 effort was first win of 2020 for 13-year-old; tonight is second start since resuming Lasix. (5) SILVERADO was a show finisher August 2, facing Nw600pscd company; he lost ground late but did not lose position, hanging on for third behind Speed to Market in his own 1:56.4 mile.
Race 7 – (5) MCJAGERSONTHEMOVE set the standard for aged pacing geldings on a 5/8-mile track in Canada when he nearly distanced the field in 1:51.1 victory August 2; with trainer Guy Gagnon back in the sulky, what’s not to like? (6) LIT DE ROSE has the formidable task of trying to make front ahead of the #5; lone mare won by 2 open lengths from post #6 in August 2 “not listed” Preferred, putting away Atomic Million AM and Vanilla Malted (tonight’s #3 and #4, who dead-heated for place) in 1:53.1 romp; her 1:52.2 seasonal best puts her ahead of all but Gagnon’s horse, and she has the class advantage. (3) ATOMIC MILLION AM is the more dependable animal when compared with his August 2 dead-heat partner #4 Vanilla Malted; four top-2 finishes in 8 tries this year, the class-dropping 9-year-old last won at Rideau’s Nw4000l3cd level on July 12; new catch driver Stephane Brosseau takes over for Richard Simard, who’s off all drives this card.
Race 8 – (1) BIG PETES STYLE gets rail, from which he romped at Rideau Carelton’s Op15000clm level July 12; class relief for field’s co-fastest Rideau 2020 winner (1:53), who has 10 victories in 19 tries this year for owner/trainer/driver Guy Gagnon. (6) LUKE AND DUKE and new catch driver Tyler Jones will have to fly like the General Lee to catch the #1 here; going-away wins by huge margins in previous 2 starts were with Gagnon driving, before the August 2 claim that put last week’s 1:53.3 in barn of trainer Anne-Marie Turenne; second start Lasix; Jones’ apparent choice over #7 Rub of the Green N. (2) BESTOFBEST HANOVER steals Stephane Pouliot from #3 Casimir Overdrive; closed for show with 28.1 last quarter August 2 facing Nw4000l3cd company; second start Lasix.
Race 9 – (6) SOS JUSTIFIED is down in class and treats post position like an afterthought to his front-end miles; a winner of half his 18 starts this year, he finished third behind now-absent runaway winner Luke And Duke (see tonight’s race 8) in August 2 start against $12,000 claiming company; Tyler Jones remains understandably loyal. (1) DARCEE N won in 1:54.3 last race, leaving from post #2 in a $10,000 claiming event where he ended up claimed; new catch driver Clarke Steacy stakes the lines on class-climbing pacer with just 2 wins in 18 seasonal starts, but who’s been a top-3 finisher in eight of them. (2) UFDRAGONS ROCKET is down in class for second consecutive start with Lasix and driver Stephane Brosseau; winless in 11 tries in 2020, he showed improvement in form with his 1:56.1 show finish August 2, behind now-absent winner Road Runner Colony and runner-up Genesee.
Race 10 – (1) STONEBRIDGE BEACH disappointed August 2, when he finished fifth, clocked in 1:53.4, behind longshot winner Farmers Tan; second as beaten fave in July 5 Rideau Carleton Nw4000l3cd company for trainer/driver Stephane Pouliot, he set the early fractions and was narrowly overtaken by tonight’s #4 Aphro Star late in the 1:54.1 mile; only win in 10 tries this year was gate-to-wire here June 7 at the same Nw4000l3cd level he faces here. (6) TAKE THE DEAL and trainer Guy Gagnon had to deal with a powerful Lit de Rose in “not listed” Preferred pace last start, as well as broken equipment; fifth in that August 2 effort, timed in 1:53.3, he couldn’t duplicate his off-the-pace win against similar group July 19; class drop here, although post unhelpful. (7) NATIONAL DEBT exits “not listed” Rideau Preferred for a spot where his 1:52-range speed all but guarantees a soft landing; second start Lasix and retains Pascal Berube, albeit from a challenging post assignment that could mean another overland voyage like in his fourth-place finish August 2. (3) VEGAS ROCKS has not reached the potential indicated by his going-away 1:54.1 June 24 qualifying win, but came close last race, when he was place finisher to Farmers Tan; he paced that race in 1:53.1; continued class relief from Preferred level and second start Lasix; adds Jonathan Lachance as Pascal Berube moves to #7 National Debt. (9) FARMERS TAN stunned at odds of 9/1 last race, wiring rivals in lifetime-best 1:52.3 for Carol Voyer from rail; with 4 victories in 18 tries this year, the 4-year-old has bounced after every 2020 win, except when class dropping in June 11 move from Mohawk to Rideau.
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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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