Double Vie, Trixie Charm and Saltimbanco all took their first wins in Quebec-bred stakes competition with victories in the Trophée des Éleveurs divisions for three-year-old trotters on Thursday, July 30 at Hippodrome 3R.

The lightly raced Double Vie scored a maiden mark of 2:00.3, the fastest clocking of all three divisions, in the $7,500 second race for fillies. The 28-1 longshot blasted to the lead from post four for Simon Delisle with :29.1 speed to the quarter and was beset with a challenge by 1-9 favourite Silver Pride (Denis St. Pierre) past that station. The field of four went two-in, two-out to the half in :59 as Double Vie worked to resist the first-over favourite, who produced a final surge to three-quarters in 1:29.2 before being rebuffed on the last turn. Sos Unstoppable (Sylvain Grenier) slid off Silver Pride’s back racing through the bend and charged late, but Double Vie hung on by a nose for the victory. Silver Pride finished third.

Maxime Velaye trains Double Vie, who recorded her first win in six starts to raise her earnings to $9,650 for owner-breeder Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel, Que. The Leader Bayama-Affirmee filly is now one-for-three this season. She paid $59.30 to win.

Trixie Charm worked her magic from the front end to win the other $7,500 filly split. Pascal Berube hustled her out from post two to take the top, and she led through :30.1 and 1:00.4 fractions before coming under fire from Lindasdream (Francis Picard). Lindasdream broke stride on the third turn, releasing the second-over Abby Rose Men (Marie-Claude Auger) to attack down the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:31. Trixie Charm accelerated into the final turn, causing the challenger to tuck briefly before reemerging for the drive, and the pacesetter finished the job with a :29.4 last panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 2:00.4. Tout En Muscle (Simon Delisle) completed the ticket.

Trixie Charm grabbed her third win in seven starts this year, putting her record at three-for-10 lifetime and her bankroll at $23,300. The Trixton-Exquisite Charm filly races for trainer Jeremy Marcotte, who co-owns her with Denis Marcotte of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, Que. Her win price was $4.10.

Saltimbanco also used speed tactics to win the $10,000 division for males and put his first career win on the board. The My Mvp-Alarming Quick gelding readied for an early battle for control that never materialized as Adan Duharas (Sylvain Lacaille) broke stride entering the turn, leaving Saltimbanco a clear leader. He was again challenged nearing a :30.2 quarter, but again the opponent broke stride, with Kinnder Rolex (Pascal Berube) jumping it off while attempting a pocket-pop. Jocelyn Gendron utilized the big lead to good effect, getting her gelding a breather to the midway point in 1:02, and Saltimbanco had plenty in the tank to ward off Kinnder Top Class (Simon Delisle) through three-quarters in 1:32.1 and resist Magic Liam (Marie-Claude Auger) down the lane for a 2:02.2 victory. Magic Liam was 1-1/4 lengths back in second, while Kinnder Rolex recovered for third.

Saltimbanco finished second in his first two appearances prior to Thursday’s score and has now earned $8,375. Herve Kirouac of Sherbrooke, Que. owns, trains and bred the gelding, who made his debut on July 16. The winner returned $9.

Paradise Moni used his typical come-from-behind style to take the $7,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, this time blasting from last at the half to an open-length triumph. He was eighth on the cones to the quarter in :28.4, moved out onto cover nearing a :58.3 half, then tore down the backstretch. Last coming off the third turn, the five-year-old son of International Moni-Jessies Song rocketed to the lead nearing the last bend and cruised away to a 3-1/4-length victory in 1:59.2. Prince Of Sussex (Francis Picard) gutted out a place finish after being parked the mile. Mass Speed (Maxime Dinelle) closed for third.

Paradise Moni nabbed his sixth win in his last seven starts and is now six-for-15 this year. Kevin Maguire trains the gelding, a 22-time winner with $155,238 in earnings from 60 career starts, for Ecuries Maguire Inc. of Sainte-Marie, Que. and Jean-Francois Maguire of Carlisle, Ont. Coupled with Royalty Beer, the win price was $2.20.

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

(Standardbred Canada; photo of Double Vie winning on July 30)