Five straight for impressive Black Tie Bash

Black Tie Bash (Chapter Seven) partied on at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday (Nov. 10) with a fifth consecutive victory in the harness racing track’s top trotting class.

The gelding never saw the pylons nor cover. Robert Shepherd couldn’t find him a seat from post eight in the :27.2 first quarter so gave marching orders to the four-year-old.

Black Tie Bash advanced to third by the half in :57.2 and was level with leader Tokyo Seelster (Pascal Berube) at three-quarters in 1:25.4. Black Tie Bash took an edge on the home turn and won the stretch war to score in 1:55.4.

Tokyo Seelster fought bravely and missed by three-quarters-of-a-length. Cold Rage (Jimmy Gagnon) got up for third.

BLACK TIE BASH REPLAY

It was Black Tie Bash’s 18th tally in 61 outings. Shepherd also owns the Isabelle Darveau-trained gelding, who has now earned $153,258.

The track also honoured 14-year-old Undercover Strike (Striking Sahbra), who completed his final career race. The gelding, a fixture on the Rideau circuit since 2019, won 56 of his 228 lifetime starts and earned $808,612. Guy Gagnon drove and trained him to a fifth-place finish in the Thursday race.

Rideau Carleton will see racing next on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink