With Black Tie Bash breaking before the start, Ripped And Ready rolled to the lead and faced little threat to win the $10,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday night (Aug. 25).
Driver Pascal Berube cleared the top with Ripped And Ready to a :28.1 first quarter and coasted uncontested to a :57.2 half. Holdin Aces mounted a first-over challenge to three-quarters in 1:25.3 but only came within two lengths of the lead moving to the final turn. Ripped And Ready held firm on the point to the finish, winning by a length over pocket-sitter Crossfit with Holdin Aces finishing third.
A five-year-old stallion by Muscle Mass, Ripped And Ready won his 19th race from 54 starts and has now earned $202,391. Thierry Vandenplas trains the winner who went as the favourite following a refund for Black Tie Bash, whose break placed him behind the fair start pole. As the de facto favourite, Ripped And Ready paid $3.20 to win.
Conditioner Benoit Hebert scored a hat trick on the 10-race card. He started with a win in the opener by Honey Bee First ($3.70) and returned a few races later with a victory by Mask Of Zoro ($3.60) before capping the hat trick with Beddanburg ($2.70).
Robert Bernicky's homebred sophomore pacing gelding Franky Bob extended his win streak earlier on the card to take his fifth-straight victory. The son of Thinking Out Loud took the lead by a :27.3 first quarter and led every step to keep a neck in front by the beam in 1:54.4. Stephane Brosseau steered the $2.10 winner who has won six races from 11 starts and has now banked $24,428.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.