Gearing Up At H3R
Mickeymaksomespeed rebounded from his miscue last week and crushed a field of older pacers on Sunday (Sept. 20) at Hippodrome 3R.
Mickeymaksomespeed, pictured wearing his Caretaker Appreciation Day blanket with winning connections.
One of only two three-year-olds in the seventh race, Mickeymaksomespeed and driver Steeven Genois bided their time as City Of The Year (who was driven by Dany Mainguy), Outlaw Turn N Burn (Francis Picard) and Stock (Pascal Berube) all battled it out for control of the race.
Once past the opening quarter mile in :27.3, it was Stock in front with Outlaw Turn N Burn sitting the pocket trip. Then at the half mile marker in :56.4, it was Mickeymaksomespeed and Genois coming first-over and breezing to the lead.
Mickeymaksomespeed held nothing back, pulled away from the field at the three-quarters in 1:25.2, and cruised to a 1:54.3 triumph. The other three-year-old in the field, Eclat De Rire (Stephane Gendron), was parked out four-wide on the final turn and was able to close to be second by three and one-half lengths. Blackjack Soleil (Eric Beausoleil) finished third.
The victory was the eighth win in ten starts for Mickeymaksomespeed. The son of Mickey Hanover was bred and is owned and trained by Michel Allard of Saint-Espirt and paid $7.50 to win.
Both Mickeymaksomespeed and Eclat De Rire were prepping for next week’s $65,000 Breeders Trophy Series Final where the two will battle one again. It will be 'Super Sunday' in Quebec with eight championship finals and $500,000 in purses, the richest day of racing for the year in Quebec.
Sunday was National Caretaker Appreciation Day at the Hippodrome 3R. A blanket for each winning horse and gift bag for the groom was presented in each race. Every groom in the race paddock received a coupon for a free meal at the Paddock Restaurant and every groom was mentioned by name in the post parades.
It was a cavalry charge to the finish, and it was SOS Faline (#8, centre of track) that emerged victorious.
There were two races for two-year-olds Sunday. Race 5 saw SOS Faline ($29.10) and driver Stephane Brosseau pace three-wide in the backstretch, stay parked out past the three-quarters and around the final turn, yet the daughter of Sportswriter showed true grit, as she came on in the stretch to win by a half-length in 2:00.2. Brosseau is the trainer of SOS Faline.
The colt pace (Race 1) was action-packed from the start, as Godro Outofhisway (9.40) with driver Pierre-Luc Roy left out of the gate and never looked back. The Light Speed (Simon Delisle) tried early to get the lead away, but had to settle for the pocket trip. Godro Outofhisway then held the field at bay and won by one and one-quarter lengths in 2:02. He was sired by Betterthancheddar and is trained by Charles Gaudreault.
Track Notes: Pierre-Luc Roy had the hot hands at H3R Sunday, as he scored a driving triple. Live racing will resume at H3R next Friday afternoon with first-race post time at 4:00 p.m. Quebec Super Sunday with eight championship finals for two and three-year-old trotting and pacing colts and fillies, is set for September 27. For more information, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
To view the harness racing results from Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)