Season’s best for Village Jamie

Village Jamie increased her win tally to five on Wednesday at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and seven-year-old harness racing mare missed her lifetime record by a fifth of a second while setting a new season’s mark.

The daughter of Mach Three slid in third from post five and held position as Thinkingofyoubabe (Pascale Berube) claimed the lead in a :26.4 first quarter and completed the half in :56.1. Driver Guy Gagnon called upon Village Jamie for a first-over move as the field of seven approached three-quarters in 1:24.2, and the mare initially stalled.

Thinkingofyoubabe held a one-length lead entering the stretch with Village Jamie continuing her first-over attack and Reys N A Rocket (Ryan Guy) stalking in the pocket. The two challengers found bursts of speed simultaneously in deep stretch and charged past Thinkingofyoubabe, and Village Jamie pushed her head in front at the finish to take the Wednesday feature in 1:53.

Reys N A Rocket finished second. Thinkingofyoubabe stayed strong and was only a neck behind the top two.

VILLAGE JAMIE REPLAY

Village Jamie, a Mandy Archer trainee, is now 18-for-137 lifetime with $197,593 in earnings. Jamie Copley of Kenmore and Mark Smith of Chesterfield became the fourth owners of the mare in 2021 after claiming her on Jul. 15. She has won twice since then and is five-for-14 on the season.

Gagnon and Samuel Fillion tied for the day’s top drivers with three wins each.

Rideau Carleton Raceway returns with live racing on Sunday, Aug. 8 with 12 programmed contests, including two Preferred Handicaps.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink