Spot Play – (9) G A SPEED JOEY – Race 5
Best Bet – (6) MISTER J R – Race 6
20-cent Early Pick 4 - Race 3 – 2,7/2,3,4,6/6,9/1,2,6 = $9.60
20-cent Late Pick 4 - Race 7 – 1,5,8/1,3,8/1,3,4/2,4 = $10.80
Race 1 – (2) ORLYS DREAM recorded his last victory July 30 at Rideau Carleton's Nw1250l3cd classification; that 1:58 first-over trip for trainer/driver Richard Simard was won by a widening margin; last raced Sept. 24, when a second-over effort (behind first-up challenger Angels Kid) produced a strong runner-up finish to that 1:57 flat winner; beaten fave was individually clocked in 1:57.3 that outing, last quarter in 29 flat. (4) SOUND TRACK finally got to the Ottawa winners' circle Oct. 1, when he made front by the half and held the lead all the way in Nw2r30000lcd trot; second win of the year for 3-year-old who fended off late-charging Orlys Fury last start. (5) ARCHIES STAR and Guy Gagnon revisit the track where gelding took his 1:58 lifetime best in Nw2r30000lcd company July 23; returning from OSS Grassroots action at other venues, where his best effort produced place finishes on three occasions.
Race 2 – (2) REAL RUBIES ATPLAY tried things first over from third-last nearing the half August 30, his last race; no match for the top three, he still finished about four open lengths ahead of the next-best; winless in 2020, this stallion has four place finishes from 11 seasonal starts, and just missed the win in tight decisions July 12 and 19. (5) UBER HANOVER faced Nw690pscd competition here Oct. 1, closing in 28.2 to advance from fifth to fourth in the stretch; late speed has not gotten him a Rideau win from a mid-pack post position to date; lone victory here came from the rail Sept. 10, over Nw450pscd group; class climb here. (4) THE GIRLS OF IMAGE looks to build upon light 2020 resume; it's not what this lone mare has already done, but what she's capable of that counts; her front-end-loving style could make class-climb meaningless in the hands of Guy Gagnon.
Race 3 – (2) WILD RIVER COYOTEE was second and first in previous two starts at Rideau Carleton, with a quick turn of foot that makes his up-in-class status tonight easier to overlook; Guy Gagnon stays loyal. (7) RUB ME has also shown excellent recent form at this venue, with a pair of off-the-pace wins followed by a narrow place result Oct. 1, when he was edged out by this race's top choice; beaten fave did not win when using front-end tactics last week. (6) MAGNUS SEELSTER lost ground late, finishing fourth, Sept. 24 behind tonight's #7 Rub Me; timed in 1:54.3 that mile; lightly-raced three-year-old hasn't made a start since then, but showed he has the speed to step with the top pair.
Race 4 – (2) BEYOND THE LENS had his maiden victory at Rideau Carleton July 16, at odds of 70/1; that gate-to-wire Nw7500lcd effort was repeated when facing same class Sept. 3, with Guy Gagnon in the sulky; trotted a winning, lifetime-best 1:57 flat qualifier Sept. 27; after exiting OSS company, his toughest task could be staying flat. (6) NO WINE FOR YOU was a beaten spot play, closing for place Oct. 1; he advanced from third while winner Asa Im Ready (#4 this race) went after Orlys Pride (#3 here), who set hot early fractions in the 1:56.4 mile; still has not missed board on a 5/8-mile track this year. (4) ASA IM READY capitalized on Orlys Pride setting 27.3 opening quarter and 56.4 half last race; two wins and a place result in three seasonal starts; her Oct. 1 victory was a personal-best 1:56.4 clocking.
Race 5 – (9) G A SPEED JOEY is apparently Pascal Berube's choice over #6 Machaholic and #8 Zar E Ip, both four-time 2020 winners with records set at Rideau Carleton this year; sixth from post #8 Oct. 1, he left hard to battle for the lead with Michele Z Tam (#1 this race) and Money Earned (#5 here) in an 27.1 opening quarter, took back to fourth, ending up covered and shuffled as the closers came alive; last win was Sept. 10, when he went gate-to-wire in 1:55.3, starting from post #3. (6) MACHAHOLIC is up in class this week, but after a gate-to-wire 1:55.1 Rideau debut Oct. 1; Guy Gagnon drives class-climbing Mandy Archer trainee, since Pascal Berube has opted for this race's top choice. (5) MONEY EARNED was lone participant in early front-end battle with Michele Z Tam and G A Speed Joey who stuck around to finish in the top three Oct. 1; likes to race on/near front, where she's likely to grab minor shares again tonight.
Race 6 – (6) MISTER J R turned in a big, if unheralded, performance here Oct. 1; starting from trailing post #9, he was first up to challenge leader The Girls of Image to the 28 flat opening quarter; parked and duelling to the 56.3 half, he never returned to the pylons for the rest of the mile, yet showed late fight as he finished fourth; Tyler Moore takes the lines on Mandy Archer trainee tonight; a July 9 winner in 1:54.4 off pocket trip at Nw400pscd level. (2) KEYSTONE PRESTIGE followed the fading cover of Reddit Hanover Oct. 1 at Rideau Carleton, finishing fifth with a last quarter of 29 flat; his 7-for-24 record of on-the-board results this year is the best in this unaccomplished bunch. (1) MATTS TUITION has one win in 2020, all the way back on Feb. 9, when he left from the rail with Pascal Berube aboard; tonight, he's got the rail again plus Guy Gagnon, which guarantees his popularity will exceed his limited accomplishments. (9) STOLEN ART qualified well at Mohawk Sept. 29, but at 0-for-15 this year and showing breaking issues, he looks best for minor shares. (7) JULIO LAUXMONT struggled at back of pack in his pari-mutuel return Oct. 1.
Race 7 – (5) BATTING STATS looks to hit one out of the park for Mandy Archer and Tyler Moore; class-dropper closed well for show Oct. 4 at Rideau Carleton's Nw2800l3cd classification, over "good" surface. (1) HLDONTGHTTOYURDRMS is trained by Guy Gagnon, who owns, trains and drives #7 Presquille; Richard Simard gets the catch drive on class-dropping veteran who has been trotting sub-1:58 miles recently, unlike most rivals. (8) THE MAGIC OF LIFE lands difficult post, but has the speed and seasonal resume (10 on-the-board results from 23 starts) that he shouldn't be ruled out; class relief; closed gamely for fifth Oct. 4.
Race 8 – (3) GRACE TOO worked her way from fourth to first Oct. 1, but faded to fifth in late stages of Rideau Carleton distaff Nw7500l event; parked throughout her Sept. 19 place performance at Kawartha Downs; August 9 Rideau victory over distaff Nw7500l company, when she went from second-over fourth at the three-quarters to a hard-charging three-wide challenger down the stretch. (8) BUMBLEBABYNME was second from same post position Oct.1, her sixth place result from 12 tries this year. (1) BAYWATCHING was beaten fave when leaving stakes company last week; going-away 1:55.3 victory here August 6, but she was too far back to be in the hunt Oct. 1 at same level as tonight.
Race 9 – (3) MICKEYMAKSOMESPEED has 9 wins in 12 seasonal starts, a 1:53.3 personal best set over Rideau Carleton this season, and he's down in class from Hippodrome 3R Preferred-2&3 Handicap, which he won Oct. 4. (1) P H IMPULSE finished third in Nw2r30000lcd company Oct. 1, with a conservative trip on the class jump; 11-for-13 in on-the-board results in 2020, he's best on front end, but remains up in class where this could prove risky. (4) ARRHYTHMOGENIC was second by a neck Oct. 1, barely picked off by tonight's #7 Brutus Bayama in Nw2r30000lcd pace; she paced identical 29.2 closing quarter and draws better than that rival tonight; 5/8-mile track specialist.
Race 10 – (2) ITS EDS IDEA was show finisher Oct. 1, caught late in front-end Nw425pscd effort; up in class tonight, the four-time 2020 winner draws well and shakes things up with newest catch driver, Pascal Berube. (4) DYLANS BANK won from post #8 as betting fave for John MacMillan/Guy Gagnon team Oct. 1; off-the-pace effort with a 28.3 closing quarter sealed the deal in colt's first win of the year. (7) SAULSBROOK PEACH disappoints whenever we put him first, but mixed it up convincingly from same post against lower, Nw265pscd, company Oct. 1, finishing third; six show finishes this year, including last week's 1:56.1 effort for Tyler Jones; lost ground late in that mile. (9) ALWAYS A DIAMOND arrives from Hippodrome 3R and gets trailing post position; show finish here Sept. 17, from identical post; place result at Hippodrome 3R Oct. 4 for Pascal Berube, who goes with #2 Its Eds Idea this race. (5) STELIOS finished fourth at this venue Sept. 24 and 27, then struggled from post #8 last week; better draw tonight, but note that Tyler Jones seems to have chosen #7 Saulsbrook Peach instead.
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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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