Despite a sloppy, rain-soaked racetrack, Fancy Girl and driver Francis Picard plowed through the pouring rain and led from start to finish in capturing the $5,000 Mares Preferred 2 Pace at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 31).
With Fancy Girl going to the early lead, Jans Legacy (Samuel Fillion) was content to sit in the pocket seat. Going to the half-mile, Wild River Swan (Steeven Gagnon) came first-over with race favourite T C Scandal (Pascal Berube) second-over.
They raced down the backstretch with Wild River Swan unable to reach up to Fancy Girl. Meanwhile, Kiss Me Bad (Steven Gagnon) was in sixth-place on the outside and she swept three-wide on the backstretch and cleared to first-over past the three-quarters.
Fancy Girl proved to be too strong on the lead in the stretch and held off Kiss Me Bad to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:03.4. Wild River Swan was third.
The win was the third this year from 16 starts for Fancy Girl. The five-year-old mare by Westwardho Hanover is owned and trained by Dominique Picard of Warwick, Que. She paid $11.90 to win.
Driver Steeve Genois had the hot hands with a driving triple on Sunday.
Jessica Turenne scored a driving double that included a win by the Dany Fontaine-trained four-year-old pacer Like Lightning Lou ($7.60), who nosed out Free Proof in the ninth race to notch his fifth straight. The Sweet Lou gelding, who halted the teletimer in 2:02.2 in the sloppy conditions, is owned by Yannick Marquis of Mascouche, Que., and Maxim Gagnon of Chicoutimi, Que.
Trainer Pierre Piedalue also sent out two winners.
Next Sunday, Nov. 7 will be the final live race day of the 2021 meet at H3R. Post time is 12:10 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)