There were three divisions in the opening round of the $125,000 Quebec-Bred Series for pacers on Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R and all three winners did it leading from start to finish.

The series is for four and five-year-old mares and horses. After three rounds of elimination competition, the top eight point-earners will return to 3R on Sunday, June 14 for the $35,000 finals.

Atomic Million AM and driver Sylvain Lacaille were the overwhelming 1-9 wagering favourites and they nearly got caught at the wire in the fifth race division for older horses.

Leaving from post three, Lacaille sent Atomic Million AM right to the front with Bali (Stephane Brosseau) sitting right on their backs through an opening quarter in :27.4, then a soft second quarter of :59.3. D J Power (Louis Philippe Roy) tried slowly to work his way first-over, but could only manage to get to third-place by the three-quarters in 1:26.4. And as they started down the stretch, Bali tried to come after the leader in vain as Atomic Million AM went on to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:55.2. Bali held for second with My Lucky Bluejeans (Stephane Gendron) finishing third.

The victory was the third in five seasonal starts for Atomic Million AM, the winner of his divisional series final last year. The four-year-old gelded son of Million Dollar Cam is owned and trained by Alain Martin of Gatineau, Que. He paid just $2.10 to win.

The first division, second race, for older mares saw Victoria Semalu and driver Stephane Brosseau ease out to the early lead from post four and quickly stuff early challenger Lutetia Semalu (Stephane Pouliot) into a backseat trip. Victoria Semalu and Brosseau then had quite the easy time, cutting fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:26.4, and then came home to romp by six open lengths in 1:56.1. Lutetia Semalu held her position to finish second with C L Royal Star (Jocelyn Gendron) third.

The win was the second in six starts this year for Victoria Semalu, a five-year-old American Ideal mare trained by Dany Fontaine and owned by Ecurie Gaetan Bono Inc. of Montreal, Que. She paid $2.60 to win.

The sixth race, second division for mares saw the biggest romp of the day as Champagne Shower and driver Denis St Pierre held nothing back in wiring the field by 11 lengths.

Starting from post five, St Pierre sent Champagne Shower to the lead and held the field at bay with fractions of :28.4 and :59.4, and then picked up the pace, leading by three lengths at the three-quarters in 1:28.1. She then gave St Pierre a :28.3 final quarter and pulled away from the field, winning in 1:56.4. Hawaiian Drummond (Mario Charron) was second with Cyndalianne Duc (Pierre Desjardins) third.

Paying just $2.10 to win, the four-year-old daughter of Santanna Blue Chip earned her third victory in her last four starts. Yves Tessier trains Champagne Shower for owner/breeder Sotirios Anastasopoulos of Sainte-Therese, Que.

Live racing resumes Wednesday with the second round of the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters. Post time is 7:00 p.m.

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

(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)