New filly winners emerged in the second preliminary leg of the Coupe De L'Avenir for two-year-old trotters while Magic Liam remained undefeated against the boys at Hippodrome 3R on Friday, Aug. 15.

Runners up in the July 25 opening leg, Abby Rose Men and Silver Pride were victorious in a pair of $7,500 divisions for the fillies this time out. 

Trained and driven by Guy Gagnon, Abby Rose Men turned the tables on opening-leg upset winner Tout En Muscle (Simon Delisle) as she looped that foe to take the lead at the :30.1 quarter mark and cruised through middle splits of 1:02 and 1:33.1 en route to the 2:03.2 triumph by 2-3/4 lengths. Trixie Charm (Pascal Berube) recovered from an early miscue to show. 

Abby Rose Men broke through for her first career win following second-place finishes in her first two starts. The daughter of Muscle Mass out of Cersei Hanover is owned by Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc. of Gatineau, Que., 9129 9560 Quebec Inc. of Mirabel, Que., and Chantal Gravel, of St-Cyrille-De-Wendover, Que.

With the inside post advantage in the next filly division, Silver Pride and driver Robert Shepherd were left all alone on the lead when Double Vie (Simon Delisle) broke stride while challenging to her outside in the early going. That rival made a comeback to take second while Smiley Tonight (Marie-Claude Auger) rounded out the top three. The fractions went in :30.4, 1:04.3 and 1:36.4 with the final time in 2:08 as Silver Pride sauntered home a six-length winner.

Trained by Jean-Francois Maguire, Silver Pride broke her maiden in her third career start. A homebred filly by Alarm Detector out of Hallywood Hills, she is owned by Silver Stables of Venise-En-Quebec, Que. 

Both filly winners were the overwhelming 1-9 favourites in their respective divisions and paid $2.10 to win. The other first leg winner, Breeze Canneberge, was not entered in round two.

Gagnon scored another stakes win when Magic Liam turned in a disappearing act on his three rivals in a $10,000 non-wagering division for the colts and geldings, trotting off by more than 26 lengths to win in 2:04.3. The Muscle Mass-American Gal K gelding is now undefeated in three starts for owners Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc. and Stephanie & Frederic Gagnon of Gatineau, Que. Mustang Shillow (Pascal Berube) and Pier Ho Fathernson (Steven Gagnon) completed the top three.

Last year's Coupe De L'Avenir male champion Mass Speed, who is looking to take the sophomore Trophee Des Eleveurs title after a pair of prelim wins last month, closed out the Friday card with a 1:59.1 victory against older trotters in the $5,500 Preferred Handicap. Trainer Michel Allard's homebred three-year-old gelding was driven by Denis St. Pierre, retaking the top spot from the favoured mare Sensi Amnesia (Marie-Claude Auger) just past the :28.4 opening marker and fending off first-over challenger Prince Of Sussex (Stephane Brosseau) through middle splits of :59.1 and 1:29. Sensi Amnesia made a late charge from the pocket but Mass Speed prevailed by a quarter of a length, with Kenogami Coco (Robert Shepherd) closing off cover to show. Mass Speed, a gelded son of Muscle Mass and Missionoftheheart, paid $6.50 to win as the 2-1 third choice.

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

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Abby Rose Men winning on Aug. 15)