A three-win performance at Kawartha Downs on Tuesday evening helped trainer Rene Allard push this year’s UTR to .374, and it also helped him leap frog over fellow Quebec native Richard Moreau for the top spot in the national trainers’ standings.
Allard, who trailed Moreau at the start of the week, pushed his win total to 22 for the season – one win better than Moreau’s 21 trips to victory lane.
Veteran trotter Wild Wind got the ball rolling for Allard thanks to his come-from-behind victory in Race 5. The nine-year-old son of SJs Caviar, who is owned by Allard, drew clear to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:59.3 for driver Jonathan Drury.
Sleek Hunter went to the front and didn’t look back for Allard and catch-driver Jason ‘Ricky Bobby’ Ryan in the sixth race. The six-year-old son of Four Starzzz Shark hammered out panels of :28.4, :57.4 and 1:28.1 before sprinting home in :28.2 to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3. Allard and Ryan also clicked in Race 9 with Hopskipanajump, who circled past eight foes in the final half of the contest to record the nose decision at odds of 8-1 in a time of 1:55.3.
This season marks the tenth year of training horses for Allard, who is in line to join the 2,000-win club later this season if he can put together the types of numbers he’s managed to assemble over the last two years. Following Tuesday’s three-win performance Allard finds himself 266 wins away from hitting that target. To date, his starters have managed to stash away purse earnings of nearly $14 million.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Kawartha Downs.