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The photo-finish camera surely came in handy on Sunday (Oct. 14) at Hippodrome 3R during opening-round action of the Quebec Plus Series for three, four and five-year-old pacers.
The program’s featured dash (Race 5) saw Encore Panic and driver Jocelyn Gendron shoot to the early lead after Flashjack Soleil went off-stride behind the starting gate. Courage (driven by Simon Delisle) grabbed the two-hole spot and the leaders raced that way to the opening quarter mile in :27.3.
As the leaders came to the half mile in :57.3, Determinant and driver Tyler Jones came first-over and towed Classic Terror (Pascal Berube) second over.
Then, at the three-quarters in 1:28, Berube sent Classic Terror three wide. Hercule J M (Pierre Luc Roy) was following the flow and then came four-wide around the final turn.
The final quarter proved to be a race to the finish which saw Encore Panic and Gendron hold on to win by a long nose in 2:00.1. Determinant was a game second and held off Hercule J M by a nose for third place.
It was a cavalry charge down the stretch at H3R, as Encore Panic (#5) won by a long nose along the inside
The victory was the fourth seasonal win for Encore Panic ($14.20). The four-year-old gelding by Artistic Fella posted a lifetime mark for trainer Francis Richard and owner/breeder Brian Paquet of Quebec City.
For the driver Jocelyn Gendron, the win was one of his three victories on the afternoon card.
The second division of the Quebec Plus Series (Race 11) belonged to Lune Bleu and driver Pierre Luc Roy, as they led from start to finish and produced a new lifetime mark of 1:58.3. Ernie Panic (Francis Picard) tried as he could, but could not catch Lune Blue and had to settle for second. Somebeachbythesea (Richard Veilleux) finished third. The victory was the fifth win of the year for the three-year-old filly by Big Jim. She is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. She paid $4.40 to win.
The co-featured Preferred Trot (Race 3) saw R Rkadabra and driver Francis Picard shoot out to a four-length lead. Past the opening quarter mile in :28, R Rkadabra spread out the field with Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) second past the half mile marker in :57.4. Then the action heated up in the backstretch as Seeyou Men and driver Stephane Brosseau started up first-over but right before the three-quarters in 1:28.2. Pascal Berube left the two-hole, came first-over and forced Brosseau and Seeyou Men to go three-wide around the final turn. Once starting down the stretch, Seeyou Men showed he was the strong horse, as he pulled pulling away with a two-length triumph in 2:00.1. Holiday Party was second with R Rkadabra third.
A six-year-old gelded son of Muscle Mass, Seeyou Men is a former track record holder and Quebec-Bred Champion. The victory was his sixth seasonal win for trainer Daniel Martin. He is co-owned by Catheline Pelletier of Mirabel and breeder Chantel Gravel of St-Cyrille-De-Wendover. He paid $4.20 to win.
Live racing at Hippodrome 3R will resume with the continuation of the Quebec Plus Series. For more information, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from the Quebec Jockey Club)