Stamina was put to the test on Monday (Oct. 13) at Hippodrome 3R with the $10,000 Le Prix D'Automne conducted at a three-mile distance won by Doc Houston and driver Jessica Turenne off the pocket trip.

A field of six went postward in the marathon, with Doc Houston tagged as the heavy favourite at 1-20 from post three. Doc Houston got away well off the wings, landing in the second position in the field of six while A Deals A Deal (Maxim Gaudreault) would cut the opening mile in 2:11. The field was content to remain single file and bide their time in the six-lap event, allowing A Deals A Deal to be the rabbit through two miles in 4:17.1. 

Doc Houston followed the leader until reaching the backstretch of the bell lap, grabbing command away from A Deals A Deal through 2-1/2-miles in 5:49. From there, Doc Houston paced his final quarter in :29.3 to open up by 5-1/4 lengths on the wire and stop the timer in 6:18.3. A Deals A Deal held sway for second, with GA Speed Gaby (Alain Carrier) finishing third, 16-1/2 lengths behind the winner.

Owned and trained by Yannick Marquis of Mascouche, QC, Doc Houston has won six of 22 this season. The six-year-old Sportswriter-Spun Sugar gelding is an 18-time career winner, with $143,722 in lifetime earnings. Doc Houston paid $2.10 to win.

A pair of $3,000 Opens were contested on the Monday card as well, with Rose Run Why Not delivering an overpowering performance in the trot.

Steeven Genois had the drive on the heavy favourite, landing Rose Run Why Not ($2. 30) in the pocket behind Mass Speed (Alain Pelletier) through an opening quarter of :30. Rose Run Why Not stalked the leader intently through a half of 1:01 before vacating the pocket on the backstretch and moving alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:30.2. Rose Run Why Not wrestled away the lead on the far turn, before powering clear by 7-1/4 lengths on the wire over Mass Speed and Betonawheelin (Marc Belanger) in 1:59.

Trained by Carl Duguay of Trois Rivieres, QC who also co-owns Rose Run Why Not with Investissement KFB of Sorel, QC, the mare has won five of 22 this season. The seven-year-old daughter of Uncle Peter-Loconotion has earned $181,006 lifetime.

Just a couple races later, Sports Bettor ($15.30) utilized the same pocket trip to pull a mild 6-1 upset in the Open Pace with driver Kevin Maguire.

Leaving from post five, Sports Better released Ambitious Mind (Francis Picard) to the lead through an opening quarter of :28 before following that foe to the half in :57.4. Sports Bettor slipped off the cones on the backstretch, moving within a quarter-length of the leader at three-quarters in 1:28.3. Sports Bettor put away Ambitious Mind, who would hold for third, before fending off a late charge by Dylans Bank (Daniel St Pierre) by a length in 1:58.2.

Kevin Maguire also trains Sports Bettor for owner Carole Veilleuxof Saint Georges, QC. The 13-year-old Sportswriter-Shellys Delight gelding is now a 47-time career winner with $687,643 in lifetime earnings.

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

(Standardbred Canada)