Track record holder Caroluzzo was given a perfect two-hole trip by driver Stephane Gendron then used the passing lane to post a quarter length victory over Raising Richard to win the Preferred Trot at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday.

Sent off as a 10-1 long shot, Caroluzzo left to the lead from post four, then by the :28.4 opening quarter mile gave way to Rocky Boy and driver Marc Bellanger.

After going to the half-mile in :58.1, driver Richard Simard came first-over with race favorite Raising Richard, who was going for his fourth straight win and they put pressure on Rocky Boy to the three-quarters in 1:28.2. And all the while, Gendron sat patiently with Caroluzzo. As the three horses started down the stretch, Gendron asked Caroluzzo and the seven-time winner last year responded and held off a game Raising Richard to win in a photo finish with Rocky Boy fading to third place.

The time of the mile was 1:59.3 over the “good” track that had a two-second allowance due to earlier rains.

Caroluzzo, who still holds the track record for a 1.5-mile race at H3R in 2013, is now an eight-year-old stallion by Musclesextrodnair. He's trained by Daniel Martin and was bred and is owned by Michael Cote Gagnon of Terrebonne.

Stephane Gendron made it a co-feature driving double with WEG invader Ufdragons Rocket. That one made the trip worthwhile to Trois-Rivieres Sunday, leading from start to finish in the 10th race Preferred Pace with a 1:58.1 triumph.

Ufdragons Rocket was parked out early by Onyx V A (Mario Charron) to a quick opening quarter mile of :27.4, but Gendron was able to back down the pace to almost a walk, going to the half mile marker in :59. Despite a valiant first-over effort by HP Patriote (Pascal Berube) in the backstretch, Ufdragons Rocket held the field at bay past the three-quarters in 1:28 and went on to win by one and one-quarter lengths. The pocket-sitting Onyx V A was second with Bali third.

It was the sixth win this year for Ufsdragons Rocket, an eight-year-old gelding by Dragon Again. He is trained by Yves Tessier for owner Francois Morin of Beauceville and paid $2.60 to win as the wagering favourite.

Live harness racing resumes next Sunday afternoon.

TRACK NOTES: The first $50+ winner of the meet was Skyfall Sena (Pascal Berube) in the second race pace. The 24-1 long shot wired the field, paying $51.80 to win and was part of a driving quadruple for Berube. Driver Stephane Gendron ended the day with three winners and is now only eight wins away from his 4,000th career win. The final nomination payment for the $200,000 Prix D’Ete for four-year-old pacers is due Monday, May 15. The signature race for H3R will be held on August 20.

For results from Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R

(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)