Splashy surface fine for Fix A Drink

Fix A Drink (Angus Hall) won his fourth harness racing Preferred-Handicap in five weeks on Thursday (Nov. 23) at Rideau Carleton Raceway on a sloppy track rated three second slow.

Post eight called for a tactics change from Jimmy Gagnon, who dropped the gelding back into fifth to the quarter in :28.1. Gagnon put him back into play approaching the half in :57.3, and the gelding advanced first-over down the backstretch.

Leader Duke Lavictoire (Pascal Berube) saw Fix A Drink in his rearview mirror approaching three-quarters in 1:27.1 as the marauder reached his flank. Fix A Drink marched on around the final turn and powered past the pacesetter at the top of the stretch. Stella Alpha (William Roy) had taken his cover into the lane and closed him down late, but Fix A Drink reached home with a length-and-a-half of cushion in 1:59.

Stella Alpha finished second, a length-and-a-quarter ahead of Crossfit (Guy Gagnon).

FIX A DRINK REPLAY

Fix A Drink has won back-to-back Preferreds and four of his past five, with his only loss coming by a nose. He is now 19-for-68 lifetime for owners Shaun Baines of Mono and Pierre Leclerc of Louisville (QC). Leclerc trains the six-year-old gelding.

Rideau Carleton Raceway will conclude its 2023 season on Sunday, Nov. 26. The card will start at 6:30 p.m. EST and conclude with a Preferred Handicap.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink