Hippodrome 3R featured two special memorial races on Sunday, Oct. 6 -- the Brian Paquet and the Lucien Bombardier -- with more than $130,000 in stakes purses on the line.

Both Paquet and Bombardier were industry leaders not only in Quebec but for all of Canada. The Bombardier Memorial is co-sponsored by both Standardbred Canada and the Quebec Jockey Club.

It was Builder’s Day at 3R on Sunday and in addition to honouring both Paquet and Bombardier, the track also hosted a special ceremony before the start of the race card to a honour Marcel Lacaille, Jean-Claude Martineau and Léo Tourigny, all of whom have been instrumental in helping promote the industry in Quebec.

​Leo Tourigny, Claude Martineau and Marcel Lacaille honoured in a ceremony on Builder's Day at Hippodrome 3R.

The action on the racetrack was fast and furious as a track record was set in one division of the Paquet Memorial and a stakes record in the other.

In the 11th race, second $51,000 division of the Paquet for Quebec-bred fillies and mares, recent Quebec Championship winner One More Bet and driver Jocelyn Gendron wired the field in 1:54.2. The winning time set a new track record for three-year-old pacing fillies, besting the previous 1:55 record set by YS Sensationalcity last year.

Leaving from the inside post, One More Bet had Jimbelina (Robert Shepherd) sitting on her back as she led to the quarter in :27.4.  Greatest Pleasure (Louis-Philippe Roy) went first-over with YS Sensationalcity (William Roy) second-over by the half-mile in :57.3. With Greatest Pleasure applying the pressure first-over, One More Bet dug in as the two horses started to pull away from the rest at the three-quarters in 1:26.1. They raced neck and neck around the final turn and down the stretch with One More Bet fighting on to win by three-quarters of a length over Greatest Pleasure. YS Sensationalcity finished 3-3/4 lengths behind in third.

One of only two fillies going against older mares in the field of eight, One More Bet earned her fifth win this season from 18 starts. The All Bets Off-P L Kahluaa filly is trained by Jean Tourigny for owner/breeder Les Ecuries Morel Inc. of Mirabel, Que. One More Bet paid $7.40 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

One race prior in the $51,000 Paquet division for the Quebec-bred male pacers, overwhelming 1-9 favourite Fortify and driver Louis-Philippe Roy led from start to finish in a stakes record-equalling 1:52 mile.

Fortify kept the field at bay the entire mile, cutting fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:24.2 en route to winning in a romp by four open lengths.  Light The Torch (Pascal Berube) went first-over from the half-mile marker and held game for second place at 45-1 odds. The Light Speed (Guy Gagnon) followed the cover to show.

Fortify's winning time was the fastest mile of the year at 3R, besting the 1:52.2 mile by Prix d’Été winner Redwood Hanover in August. Fortify is now tied with Cadillac Bayama for the Paquet record.

The win was Fortify’s seventh of this year from 22 starts for trainer Rene Bourassa and owners Daniel Gaudreault of Mont-Joli, Que., and Ecuries Maguire Inc. of Sainte-Marie, Que. The seven-year-old Sweet Lou-Cant Stop Me Now gelding paid just $2.10 to win.

The first $15,100 division of the Bombardier for two-year-old pacing fillies was the fourth race and Silver Majesty took a new lifetime mark of 1:58.4. 

Mystic Moment (Marie-Claude Auger) cut the mile with 1-9 favourite Silver Majesty and driver Denis St. Pierre sitting the pocket trip through fractions of :28.4, :59.1 and 1:29.2. On the final turn, St. Pierre went first-over with Silver Majesty and they blew by the leader before winning with ease by 1-1/2 lengths. Justine Ray (Daniel Laflamme) got up for second over Mystic Moment.

The win was fourth of the season from 10 starts for Silver Majesty, who is trained by Jean-Francois Maguire for the Silver Stables and Marie Michelle Gaboury of Venise-En-Quebec, Que. The All Bets Off-Acaena De Chakrika filly paid $2.30 to win.

The second and faster division of the Bombardier was the sixth race won by Simple The Best in 1:58.3.

Jenny Longlegs (Guy Gagnon) cut the quarter in :28.2 with Mirabel Enfete (Stephane Brosseau) getting the two-hole trip. By the half-mile in :59.3, race favourite Simply The Best and driver Pascal Berube went first-up from fourth with Ibetyouakiss (Robert Shepherd) second-over. Racing neck and neck in the backstretch, Jenny Longlegs could not hold off Simply The Best, who took command at the three-quarters in 1:29.2. Simply The Best then cruised home, winning by 1-1/2 lengths with Ibetyouakiss second and Mirabel Enfete third.

Simply The Best, a daughter of All Bets Off and Sauble Claire, earned her third straight victory and has now won half of her 10 starts for trainer Marc-Andre Simoneau and owner Aurel Harvey Et Fils Inc. of Riviere-Malbaie, Que. She paid $3.90 to win as the bettors' choice.

Simoneau had a double on the Sunday card and now leads the training standings at 3R, 25 to 23 over David Pilon.

Live harness racing resumes at 3R next Sunday, Oct. 13 at 12 noon.

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

(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)