The veteran Sportswriter gelding D Gs De Vito, a come-from-behind specialist, is used to weaving his way through traffic, and he again handled a hard trip with aplomb in the Sunday afternoon $5,500 featured Preferred Handicap Pace at Hippodrome 3R, winning in 1:56.1.
Driver Jonathan Lachance maneuvered the eight-time seasonal winner in position to rally, and the pair brushed three-wide towards the far turn, circling to the lead by headstretch and then drawing away to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Hooter Shooter, who trailed his cover throughout. Now a winner in four of his last seven starts against the very best 3R has to offer, D Gs De Vito is trained by Guylaine Fortin for owner Daniel Surprenant.
The winner of the day’s two other feature races had to overcome the difficult first-over route to visit the winner's circle. The $4,500 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace for mares went to Wild River Swan, giving driver Jonathan Lachance and sire Sportswriter a sweep of the pacing features with a 1:56 victory. Wild River Swan attacked favoured pacesetter Shes Movin On from before the half, took over command early on the far turn, and was a 2-1/2-length winner over the chalk for owner/trainer Dr. John Bradbury.
The Explosive Matter gelding Severus Hanover showed that he was still up to the vigors of a hard trip at age 10, taking the lead away from longshot Hetties Magic going to the far bend and leaving her 4-3/4 lengths behind at the end of the $3,400 featured trot, which went in 1:59.1. Jocelyn Gendron drove the winner of $231,953 for owner/trainer Yannick Martel.
Jessica Turenne, in her first full season of sulky competition at 3R, had the first driving double of her career on Sunday. Other two-time winners at their specialty were feature winners Lachance, Gendron and Martel, along with the meet’s leading driver, Pascal Berube.
Four more Sundays of action starting at 12:10 p.m. remain in the 2021 racing season at Hippodrome 3R.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Hippodrome 3R)