Nobettorplacetobe ($3.70) earned his third straight win for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon after an eventful finish in the $6,950 Winners Over Handicap Pace co-featured on Sunday's harness racing card at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Firing out from post eight, 4-5 favourite Nobettorplacetobe worked to clear Beach Runner A M past the :27.3 quarter pole before taking a 30-second breather to the half.
As he continued to lead to three-quarters in 1:26.2, Killer Thriller squeezed out from third-place while National Debt went three-wide around fading cover and those horses raced three-across turning for home.
Killer Thriller came charging up on the outside, but he broke stride deep in the stretch sealing his fate of being placed back to sixth, while Beach Runner A M shot up the inside and inherited the runner-up spot. Bestofbest Hanover sprinted his final quarter in :26.3 and picked up third prize while State News and National Debt closed well on the far outside for the minor awards.
The judges ruled that Killer Thriller did not continuously lose ground while off-stride and caused interference resulting in his placing.
Nobettorplacetobe now has seven wins this year from 27 starts, with his Sunday score clocked in 1:54 flat. The five-year-old son of Bettors Delight in owned by Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc., Gestion Louis Latulippe Inc., and Gestion Bruno Blouin Inc.
Saul Mendelson's Ghirardelli Lindy ($9.80) returned to Rideau's winner's circle after taking the $6,500 top trot in rein to Richard Simard.
After giving way to 3-5 favourite Raising Richard at the :29 quarter mark, the Robert Dube-trained Ghirardelli Lindy tracked in the pocket spot through middle splits of :59 and 1:28. Simard pulled him to the outside when Commissioner Daley went by Raising Richard on the final turn. Ghirardelli Lindy then tracked down Commissioner Daley for the neck decision in 1:57.1. Raising Richard finished two and three-quarter lengths behind in third.
Prior to a fourth-place finish in Hippodrome 3R's Invitational on July 25, Ghirardelli Lindy had won two straight at Rideau. Sunday's score was the fourth of the year and 25th lifetime for the eight-year-old son of Chocolatier.
Nobettorplacetobe's victory kicked off a training/driving triple on the 12-race card for Gagnon, who sports a North American leading trainer URS of 0.652 on the year. He also won with Diggin In ($4.30) and After Market ($2.80).
Simard had a driving double as he also guided the Gary McDonald-trained sophomore trotter Stellas Boy ($3.90) to a lifetime mark of 1:57.4 and his fifth win in a row.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.