Perpetual Rock overtook stablemate Bets Beach in a one-two finish for trainer Yves Tessier in the $5,500 Preferred Handicap Pace featured on the 2025 meet-closing card at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Bets Beach, driven by Pascal Berube, cut the mile with fractions of :29.1, :58.3 and 1:27.2 but was overshadowed in the end by Perpetual Rock, who had tracked in third then found clearance to launch outside on the backstretch when his stablemate started to open up nearly five lengths on top. Kicking home in :28.3 for driver Marie-Claude Auger, Perpetual Rock reeled in Bets Beach and went by for the two-length victory in 1:57.1. American Zestar and William Roy rounded out the top three more than 10 lengths behind after a long parked out journey.
The winning Tessier trainee is a seven-year-old Pet Rock-Vanity Fairest gelding, who was successful in his last 3R appearance on Sept. 7. Perpetual Rock paid $2.10 as part of the popular 1-9 entry.
He now has three wins to go along with 12 other top three finishes this year in 25 starts. A career winner of 24 races and $203,909 in purses, Perpetual Rock is owned by his trainer in partnership with Gina Bragagnolo of Trois-Rivières, Que., and Lyne Bragagnolo of Carp, Ont.
Veteran pacer Major Hill later reached a career milestone in the $4,000 ninth race conditioned pace. Capping off back-to-back wins on the card for trainer Guy Roy, the Art Major-Bunnys Legacy prevailed over favoured Southwind Leo (Stephane Brosseau) and Frozen Hanover (Simon Delisle) by a quarter of a length in 1:59.4 to record his 50th victory lifetime. William Roy worked out the winning trip for the 12-year-old gelding, who is owned by Francois Morin of Beauceville, Que.
Pascal Berube put the finishing touches on his sixth consecutive driving title at 3R, adding three wins on Sunday to bring his meet total to 99. The Portneuf, Que. reinsman had 59 more wins than his closest competitor, with Denis St. Pierre (40 wins) and Marie-Claude Auger (39) rounding out the top three.
Marc-Andre Simoneau defended his training title with a 37-win season in 2025, completed by the Berube-driven sophomore pacing filly, Century Larisa, in a new lifetime mark of 2:00.2. David Pilon (22 wins) and Guy Gagnon (14 wins) finished second and third in the trainer standings.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada)