Archer notches Rideau grand slam

Harness racing trainer Mandy Archer sent out four winners at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday and pulled within one of the trainers’ standings lead.

Leading driver Guy Gagnon and she paired up for their first of three victories together with Malvolio ($2.60) in the opener. The four-year-old Bettors Delight gelding led throughout on the sloppy surface rated three seconds slow and paced his mile in 2:00. Randy Scott of Trenton owns the horse, an Ontario B track regular.

MALVOLIO REPLAY

Gagnon and Archer went to the winner’s circle again in the featured fourth race after their Thinkingofyoubabe ($3.40) battled on the front end through driving rain for a 1:58.2 score. Jamie Copley of Kenmore and Mark Smith of Chesterville purchased the four-year-old Thinking Out Loud mare on Jun. 1; she is two-for-five for them.

THINKINGOFYOUBABE

The Twist ($4.40) gave Gagnon and Archer their triple with another victorious effort on the front. The Bettors Delight gelding has now won his two lifetime victories in back-to-back weeks after three in-the-money finishes to begin his career. Copley, Jody Sanderson of Cornwall, and Shaun Macisaac of Charlottetown acquired the horse in May and debuted him at Rideau Carleton in June.

THE TWIST REPLAY

Wisk Key K ($3.40) vied for the lead in the seventh and turned away all challengers to become Archer’s fourth winning trainee of the night in 1:58. Samuel Fillion drove, as Gagnon, who regularly pilots the three-year-old Bettors Delight colt, opted for his own Wild River Coyotee and finished third. Copley acquired Wisk Key K in March and moved him to Archer’s barn. The horse has since won five straight after losing his first five career outings.

WISK KEY K REPLAY

Gagnon completed his grand slam one race later in 1:59.3 behind Philly Freedom ($4.40). The performance was a marked turnaround for the three-year-old daughter of Sportswriter who picked up only one cheque prior to her Thursday outing. Andrew Moore, a resident of Russell, trains and co-owns with Charles Farrell of Spencerville.

PHILLY FREEDOM REPLAY

Gagnon still leads Archer in the trainers’ standings, but the latter is now just one behind after her big day. Gagnon’s lead in the drivers’ table, though, is very secure – he is 29 wins to the good over Richard Simard, who is second.

Rideau Carleton Raceway’s next card is set for Sunday, Jul. 11.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink