Driver Guy Gagnon came into Hippodrome 3R on Tuesday evening (July 10) needing just two victories to score his 5,000th career win, and it took him until the last race on the program to get the job done.

In the fourth-race trot, he was able to win with ease aboard Irish Master ($3.80) in 2:03.3. It was a romp as they won by 9-1/4 lengths.

Then Gagnon had to wait until the eighth and final race on the program to get the job done. He was driving Evergreen Artist ($5.00) and they left from post six and led from start to finish, winning with ease by 3-3/4 lengths in a lifetime-best clocking of 1:55.

“This horse was just bought and it was its first start with the trainer (Francis Richard),” Gagnon explained. “He said that the horse was ready and it was.”

“Five thousand victories, you do not do that alone,” Gagnon said. “I must thank all of the trainers who gave me the drives over the years. I feel very proud and thank everyone who has supported me in my career.”

Eau Naturelle, Capteur De Reve Take Québec-Bred Prelims

It was just two weeks ago that Simon Delisle of Dechambault scored a big upset with his trotting mare Eau Naturelle, and sure enough they were able to do it again. With a change in tactics from the previous start, trainer-driver Delisle and Eau Naturelle were able to again beat favourite Y S Suzanne (Gagnon) in the third and final leg of the Québec-Bred Series.

Now the four- and five-year-old trotters must wait until Aug. 9, when the top eight point earners in the series return to H3R for their respective $30,000 finals.

In the third-race division for mares, Delisle went to the lead with Eau Naturelle instead of looking for cover to come off of later in the race as he had done in his last two starts.

With Y S Suzanne on their back in the two-hole, Delisle and Eau Naturelle led the field past the opening quarter in :30.3, and that was when driver Stephanie Brosseau came first-over with HP Run Like Mom and pressed to the half mile in a mild 1:01.3.

Brosseau kept the pressure on Eau Naturelle, and they raced as a team going into the backstretch. Then Gagnon pulled out from behind Delisle with Y S Suzanne and began to follow HP Run Like Mom. As they neared three-quarters, Y S that tipped three-wide and looped around HP Run Like Mom as they passed the marker in 1:31.2.

Around the final turn, Gagnon tried to gain ground on Delisle, but could not. Delisle and Eau Naturelle were strong in the stretch and won with ease by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:00.3. Y S Suzanne was second with Lindas Jewell (Mario Lachance) third.

Last time out, Eau Naturelle beat Y S Suzanne at odds of 22-1. This time it was at 6-1. It was the third win in eight starts this year for the five-year-old daughter of Windsong Espoir. She is owned by Chantal Auger, Raymond Bouffard, Rejean Page and Anne Delisle, all of Québec. She paid $15.10 to win.

Delisle scored an even bigger upset victory in the very next race, winning with Scout Says at 14-1, paying $31.50 to win.

In the male division of the Québec-Bred Series, the rivalry continued between Kinnder Dangerous and Capteur De Reve.

The sixth-race co-feature began with Kinnder Dangerous and driver Justin Filion shooting out to the early lead with Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) following their cover in second place to the opening quarter mile in :29. As they came to half in 1:00.1, driver Pierre Luc Roy came first-over and started moving toward the race leaders. Roy did not charge up and try to pass Kinnder Dangerous, but instead just allowed Capteur De Reve to sit alongside Filion until the three-quarters in 1:28.4.

It was then that Filion asked Kinnder Dangerous for more, and Capteur De Reve was not only able to match his speed, but also gain ground.

Coming down the stretch it was a two-horse race to the finish, with Capteur De Reve the strong horse, winning by a neck in 1:58.4. Orlys Dream (Mario Lachance) was third.

In four meetings this season, the score is tied with each horse having beaten the other twice.

For Capteur De Reve, a four-year-old gelded son of Muscle Mass, it was his second win in five starts this year. He is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner-breeder Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel, paying $6.30 to win.

Live racing resumes at H3R on Sunday (July 15), with first race post time at 12:50 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.

To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Hippodrome 3R.

(Québec Jockey Club)