After breaking stride behind the gate, slight favourite Prince Of Sussex looked to mount a comeback and nearly made up his early double-digit deficit, but Trophee des Eleveurs champion Mass Speed held off his older foe to win the Preferred Handicap Trot on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Hippodrome 3R.

Driven by Denis St. Pierre in the afternoon's $5,500 featured finale, Mass Speed tracked outside leaver Awsome Paul (Sylvain Lacaille) loosely in the two-hole through opening panels of :28.4 and :59.4 before looping to the lead by the next pole in 1:30.1. He opened up nearly three lengths on the field turning for home, but 6-5 bettors' choice Prince Of Sussex (Stephane Brosseau) had caught the field with a lap to go and gained ground up the inside to move into contention and make it a race to the finish. Despite his valiant recovery, Prince Of Sussex ran out of racetrack as Mass Speed prevailed by a neck in 2:01.1 as the 7-5 second choice, paying $4.80 to win. In a close finish for third prize, 8-1 shot Lorenzo (Mario Lachance) won that battle nearly four lengths behind.

The winning Muscle Mass-Missionofthehear gelding is a homebred for trainer Michel Allard. The sophomore stakes champion has won three races in a row and is eight-for-18 this year. Lifetime, he boasts 13 victories in 25 starts with earnings totalling $105,549. 

Mass Speed was Allard's second winner in as many starts on the nine-race program and St. Pierre's third consecutive winning catch-drive.

He'll look to add to his win streak, as the gelding is entered right back in-to-go on Monday at 3R.

Just one race prior in a $2,750 conditioned pace, a new trainer scored a maiden victory as local horseman Jackson Barrette, 35, watched his mare Mach N Blue Cheez score in 2:00.1 as the 3-2 favourite. Driver Pascal Berube sent Mach N Blue Cheez three-wide off the cover of Shes Got The Luck (Jessica Turenne) and defeated that rival by 1-1/4 lengths, with a late-closing Better Kissthe Men (Simon Delisle) edged out in a place photo. Barrette owns the seven-year-old daughter of Betterthancheddar-Show Busness who delivered his first training victory in 16 starts. She paid $5 to win.

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

(Standardbred Canada)