Rideau Carleton: Canadian record set by Powerful Chris

The Canadian record for a female pacer on a five-eighths-mile track fell on Sunday night at Rideau Carleton Raceway as Powerful Chris clocked a 1:50 2/5 mile in winning a C$158,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series contest for 3-year-olds.

Starting from post five in the field of ten, Powerful Chris and driver Bob McClure got to the top around Thats Incredible (Sylvain Filion) nearing the 26 1/5 opening quarter. Boadicea (Jonathan Drury), who had been unable to find a seat from post seven, drove on at Powerful Chris in the second quarter, and McClure released the outside attacker to the front prior to the 54 1/5 half. Just prior to that point, Sunny Dee (Trevor Henry) came first-over from fourth, giving cover to So Much More (Doug McNair).

Boadicea stayed in command to the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters, giving the cold shoulder to Sunny Dee to that point, around the far turn, and into the stretch, but Powerful Chris remained a big threat in the pocket, just waiting for the passing lane. Once the passing lane became available, McClure sent Powerful Chris through on the inside, and even though Boadicea dug in gamely, she couldn't stave off the challenge as Powerful Chris came through to win by a length. Boadicea was second, with Sunny Dee holding third over Thats Incredible.

The time of 1:50 2/5 lowered the previous Canadian record of 1:50 3/5 for a female pacer on a five-eighths-mile track previously owned by Dreamfair Eternal and Camille, and the standard of 1:51 for a sophomore pacing filly on a five-eighths-mile track set by Write Me A Song last year.

“What can I say? She’s amazing. Such a pleasure to drive,” said McClure. “(Trainer) John (Pentland) has done an excellent job and she keeps improving.”

Pentland also co-owns Powerful Chris, a daughter of Betterthancheddar, with partners Jack Darling Stables Ltd. and Syllabus Stable. This was her seventh career win, and she pushed her earnings to C$412,255. The even-money favorite, Powerful Chris paid $4.20 to win.

“She’s just got so many tricks, this filly. That’s the beauty of her,” said trainer Pentland. “She can race from off the pace, absolutely, but we rarely, rarely leave with her. I don’t think it’s a surprise to anybody that she’s that capable of leaving, it’s just not something we use very often.”

--quotes courtesy of the Ontario Sires Stakes--