Harness racing driver Pascal Berube became the first driver ever to win 100 races in a single season at Hippodrome 3R when he captured the fourth race pace with Cafe Society on closing day of the 2022 season, Sunday, Nov. 6.
Hippodrome 3R dates back to 1830 when it first had horse racing on the grounds. The prior record for most wins in a single season was 66 set by Denis St Pierre in 2014.
Berube entered the closing day card at 3R needing two wins to hit the 100-win mark. The 99th victory came in the third race pace where Berube not only cut the mile with La Petite Grise, but went on to win in a romp by 13 lengths in 1:57. It was the sixth win on the year for La Petite Grise. The four-year-old grey Sportswriter mare is trained and co-owned by Fernand Jodoin with Michel Letendre. She paid $2.10 to win as the overwhelming 1-9 race favourite.
In the very next race, Cafe Society, with Berube driving, had to rough it out first-over against Fancy Girl (Michel Lagace) until after the half-mile, taking the lead for good and winning by 1-1/4 lengths over Whitemountaincammy (Stephane Brosseau) and Arrhythmogenic (Daniel St Pierre) in 1:58.3.
Berube raised his fist and whip in triumph crossing the finish line for his 100th victory of the season at 3R.
The win was the second straight, fourth win in her last five starts and sixth of the year for Cafe Society ($3.10). The six-year-old Betterthancheddar mare is trained by Sylvain Tremblay and owned by Gaetan Fortin.
The winner’s circle was packed with well-wishers for Berube.
Both Berube and Tremblay were honoured in the winner’s circle as the leading driver and trainer, respectively, for the season. It was the third straight year that Berube has won the driving title at 3R and it was the fifth time of his career he has been the top driver. For Tremblay, who ended the season with 30 wins from his stable at 3R, it was his second straight training title at 3R.
Berube ended the card with four wins, pushing 3R's new single-season record to 102. It was the fourth time this season he won four races on a card. His final victories of the 3R season were with Pey Bug for trainer Stephane Hubert and Lido Hanover for Dany Mainguy.
The fastest mile on the card Sunday was by Histoire Enchantee in the fifth race $6,500 Preferred Handicap Pace.
Despite being parked out to the first quarter in a speedy :26.4, Historie Enchantee and driver/trainer Simon Delisle then had to deal with Platine Alpha (Pascal Berube) pressing first-over and then the race favourite, Kiss Me Bad (Steven Gagnon), swept three-wide on the final turn to battle Histoire Enchantee down the stretch. Histoire Enchantee dug in down the stretch and held off Kiss Me Bad to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.1. Outlaw Turn N Burn (Francis Picard) was third.
The win was the seventh of the season from 19 starts for Histoire Enchantee, who is co-owned by Aurelie Delisle and Raymond Bouffard. The eight-year-old Shanghai Phil gelding paid $9.20 to win.
A special event took place in the winner’s circle after the seventh race, when the 14-year-old Camluck pacer, Adamncam, was officially retired from racing.
In his career, he started 204 times and won 22 races with 33 second-place finishes and 24 thirds. He had winnings over $130,000 and a lifetime record of 1.55.1 taken at Flamboro Downs when he was eight years old.
Norman Beaudoin and his wife Léna Ouellet have owned Adamncam since 2018. Ouellet has already trained Adamncam to ride with a saddle.
Hippodrome 3R and the nine off-track betting parlours in Quebec will be open seven days a week for simulcasting throughout the winter months. Race dates for the 2023 race season will be announced shortly.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)