Hippodrome 3R hosted five divisions of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacers and trotters on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 27).

Driver Francis Picard had the hot hands, winning four races on the card, two of them in the series.

This was the final preliminary round of the series leading towards Super Sunday, Sept. 10, when all eight finals of the Quebec-Bred Series will be held featuring the eight highest point-earners in each division.

The Future Stars Series got underway in the second race for the trotting colts and geldings with a purse of $10,000 and a major upset was scored as 16-1 longshot M C Eddy (pictured above) beat previously unbeaten Wild Dream Men by a head.

Wild Dream Men, with driver Stephane Brosseau subbing for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon, went after the early lead by the first quarter in :30.3 with Vol De Banque (Claude Beausoleil) sitting the pocket trip. Unbeaten in his previous three starts, the overwhelming favourite Wild Dream Men and Brosseau kept the field at bay, leading by 2-1/2 lengths at the half-mile in 1:01.4. That was when Drinklikehenry (William Roy) went first-over, giving cover to M C Eddy and driver Pascal Berube.

Once they reached the backstretch, Berube went three-wide with M C Eddy and they were able to clear around Drinklikehenry and started up after race leader Wild Dream Men. The three-quarters went in 1:33.

Racing neck and neck around the final turn, the two young trotters went at it down the stretch with M C Eddy getting up at the wire over Wild Dream Men in 2:03.4. Last Try (Jerome Lombart), at 50-1, was third.

M C Eddy scored his maiden-breaking victory in his third lifetime start. The Lookslikeachpndale-Meganou gelding is trained by Daniel Martin, who bred him with Jean Picard. Martin also co-owns the rookie trotter with Dominique Michel and Jean Carignan. M C Eddy paid $35 to win. He now has enough points to make it to the $55,000 final on Sept. 10.

Kenogami Queen became the only horse in the series to sweep all three preliminary rounds, taking the 11th race $10,000 division for two-year-old trotting fillies.

With Stephane Brosseau in the sulky, Kenogami Queen took the early lead away from JD Beauty (Robert Shepherd) by the first quarter in :31.1. She then led with ease through fractions of 1:02.3 and 1:33.3, easily winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:04 over JD Beauty with Cleveland U Bet (Jean-Francois Maguire) third.

It was the third straight win in four lifetime starts and a new mark for Kenogami Queen. The Wheeling N Dealin-Kenogami Darling filly is owned and bred by trainer Jean-Francois Reid with Marie-Claude Reid and co-owner Mario Menard. She paid $2.70 to win as the wagering favourite.

The $10,000 Future Stars Series division for two-year-old pacing fillies was held in the seventh race where The Heart Valley and driver Francis Picard made the most of starting from post two, shooting to the lead and never looking back at odds of 6-1.

The Heart Valley led the field through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.4 and 1:30.1 before pulling away from the field in the stretch to win by 5-1/4 lengths in 2:00. Shes Rock (Robert Shepherd) was second with race favourite Breedingbankrupsy (Pascal Berube) third.

The win was the first in four starts for The Heart Valley. The State Treasurer-Olivias Way filly is trained by Gerard Demers, who co-owns with Investissement K F B and Jean Roach Marois. She paid $14.60 to win.

The fifth race was the first of two $7,500 divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Boomboom Tonight was the overwhelming 1-5 race favourite and he got a perfect two-hole trip early on behind Olaf Du Lac (Pierre-Luc Roy) to the quarter-mile in :29 and the half-mile in :59.1.

With Marc Belanger in the sulky, Boomboom Tonight popped the pocket and started after Olaf Du Lac at the three-quarters in 1:29.1. Those two raced head-to-head around the final turn and down the stretch, Boomboom Tonight got by late to win by a quarter-length in 1:58.2. Dan Speed (Robert Shepherd) was third.

Boomboom Tonight earned a new lifetime mark with his second straight win and third win in five starts. The Sportswriter-Rapid Tonight gelding is trained, owned and was bred by Elisabeth Pothier. He paid $2.70 to win.

In the ninth race second division for the colts and geldings, Ambitious Mind and driver Francis Picard led from start to finish in a lifetime-best 1:58.3 clocking.

Leaving from the inside post, Picard sent Ambitious Mind right to the front and never looked back, holding the field at bay as they cut fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:27.4, leading by four lengths at the top of the stretch and holding on to win by one length. The pocket-sitting Love That Miramont (J.B. Renaud) was second-placed-fifth for interference in the first turn. Dream Choice (Pascal Berube) was third-placed-second and Haka Timatanga (Robert Shepherd) was bumped up from fourth to third.

The win was the third in just four lifetime starts for Ambitious Mind, who is trained by Dominique Picard. The Big Jim-Rainbow Place gelding was bred by Francis Picard and is owned by Severine Picard, Martin Bilodeau and Claude Thibault. He paid $4.20 to win.

In regular racing action, this week's $7,000 Preferred Handicap Pace went to the front-striding four-year-old mare JKs Rolling Baby,  who won her Quebec debut in 1:55.3 with Francis Picard driving for trainer Jacques Dupont and Ecurie Csl. Celia Bayam (Stephane Brosseau) and favourite Perpetual Rock (Pascal Berube) finished second and third, respectively. She paid $12.30 to win.

Along with Francis Picard scoring his four-bagger, Robert Shepherd had a driving triple on Sunday.

Live harness racing will resume at Hippodrome 3R next Friday, Sept. 1 at 4 p.m. 

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

(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)