Showing true grit from start to finish, Aladdin and driver Stephane Brosseau scored an impressive front-end triumph in capturing the Sunday, Oct. 27 feature pace at Hippodrome 3R.
In the $10,000 feature for Quebec-owned pacers carded as the 10th race, Aladdin and Brosseau scooted to the early lead and then parked out favourite I Ama Rocket (Marie-Claude Auger) until the first quarter in :28.2. Brosseau then moved Aladdin back out and they took the lead back from I Ama Rocket before reaching the half-mile marker in :57.3. Moving first-over from fourth, Light The Torch (Pascal Berube) came abreast with Aladdin at the three-quarters in 1:26.4. Those two horses battled neck and neck around the final turn and then in a stretch battle to the wire, Aladdin held off Light The Torch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.4. I Ama Rocket was third.
A five-year-old Shadow Play-Eloge gelding with 19 career wins in 54 races, Aladdin is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, Que. The win was his fourth this year from 19 starts. He paid $10.70 to win.
Brosseau scored a driving double on Sunday's 11-race card, as did Pascal Berube, Jocelyn Gendron and Antoine Desrochers, who teamed up with a pair trained by Guillaume Desrochers.
Next Sunday, Nov. 3, the curtain falls on the 2024 race meeting at 3R with its closing day card. Pascal Berube will be honoured for his fifth straight driving title at 3R as he leads the standings with 72 wins over Marie-Claude Auger with 52 wins while Marc-Andre Simoneau is headed towards his first training title, leading David Pilon, 28-23. Post time next Sunday at 12 noon.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)