After spotting Hammering Haley a six-length lead going onto the backstretch the final time, Twice An Angel and driver Stephane Gendron proved to be too tough in the Mares Preferred at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (July 12).

The feature began with Hammering Haley and driver Francis Picard leaving from post one and shooting out to a three-length lead by the opening quarter in :27.4. Sophies Cam (Stephane Brosseau) sat in second, with Twice An Angel in third.

By the half-mile pole in :56.4, Hammering Haley still led by three lengths as Gendron moved Twice An Angel to the outside and slowly began picking up the pace. On the backstretch, Twice An Angel nearly collared Hammering Haley, but Picard pulled the earplugs and his mare parked Twice An Angel out past three-quarters in 1:26.3 and around the final turn.

As they straightened out for the stretch drive, Twice An Angel showed why she was bet down as the even-money favourite, pulling away to defeat Y C Easy (Steeven Genois) by 3-1/2 lengths. Hammering Haley finished third.

It was the second win this year for Twice An Angel ($4.00), a seven-year-old Dragon Again mare trained and co-owned by Charles Gaudreault with Maxim Gaudreault.

Two-year-old pacers were on display in the second race, where GA Speed Arthur and Pascal Berube advanced first-over on the backstretch to collar stablemate GA Speed Semy (Alain Carrier) before holding Ibiza Panic (Picard) to prevail by a head in 2:01.2. GA Speed Semy was third.

It was the first career start for GA Speed Semy ($3.10), a son of Sunshine Beach and R Ciao Baby trained and owned by Alain Carrier.

Zar E IP, the lone three-year-old pacing filly racing against four-year-old horses and mares in the fourth race, posted her third straight triumph of the year for driver Berube. The daughter of Up The Credit won by a length in 1:58.2 over Gambler Panic (Picard) and You Rock Girl Kir (Brosseau).

Zar E IP ($2.10) is now tied with SOS Turbo as the winningest horse at H3R this year, each with three victories.

Three drivers had two wins each on Sunday: Carol Voyer, Berube and Gendron. Voyer and Charles Gaudreault scored training doubles. Of the eight races on Sunday's program, six were won by horses starting from the inside post.

Live racing resumes at Hippodrome 3R next Friday afternoon (July 17), with first race post time at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.hippodrome3R.ca.

To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.

(Québec Jockey Club)