Farmers Tan ($5.10) and driver Carol Voyer, despite constant pressure while on the lead, were able to hold on at the wire to win the $5,000 Preferred 2 Pace at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (Nov. 7).
Farmers Tan led the field early on with Outlaw Turn N Burn (Francis Picard) grabbing the two-hole spot as they sped by the first quarter in :27.4.
By the half-mile in :57, driver Jessica Turenne came first-over with the race favourite, Like Lightning Lou, who was going for his sixth straight win. Like Lightning Lou was persistent, dogging Farmers Tan on the outside with Histoire Enchantee (Simon Delisle) second-over as they sped to the three-quarters in 1:26.
Delisle then moved Histoire Enchantee three-wide on the final turn, cleared by Like Lightning Lou, and came after Farmers Tan as they started down the stretch.
Battling down the stretch, Farmers Tan was the strong horse and held off Histoire Enchantee to win by a quarter-length in 1:56. Outlaw Turn N Burn finished one length behind in third.
The win was the seventh win this year in 24 starts for Farmers Tan. The five-year-old gelded son of Always A Virgin is also trained and owned by Voyer.
In the Mares Preferred 2 Pace, it was a gritty and determined race favourite Kiss Me Bad and Steven Gagnon who overpowered the field to win in a romp.
Fancy Girl, who won this race last week for driver Francis Picard, shot to the early lead over a determined Wild River Swan (Jonathan Lachance) to the first quarter in :28.
By the half-mile marker in :57.2, Gagnon came first-over with Kiss Me Bad and battled for the lead with Fancy Girl down the backstretch, clearing past the three-quarters in 1:27.3 and then powering their way to a 4-1/4-length triumph in 1:56.4. Wild River Swan was second with Fancy Girl third.
The win was the fifth on the season from 20 starts for Kiss Me Bad. The five-year-old mare by Badlands Hanover is also trained and owned by Gagnon. She paid $5.20 to win.
Rain Gauge, a 14-year-old gelded son of Raining Again, made the last start of his racing career in the seventh race pace for driver/trainer Daniel Mondou and co-owner Josee Ouellet.
Although he finished sixth, Rain Gauge was honoured with a special blanket presentation in the winner’s circle. He now retires with 41 wins, $133,090 in earnings and a race record of 1:53.3.
All Standardbred race horses must retire from racing once they reach age 15 on January 1.
After the presentation to Rain Gauge, Daniel Mondou got down on one knee in front of the crowd in the winner’s circle and proposed marriage to Ouellet. She said yes.
Track Notes: Both Carol Voyer and Steeve Genois scored driving doubles and Voyer also had a training double. Next Sunday, Nov. 14 will be the final day of live racing at H3R for the 2021 season. Going into the last race program, defending leading driver Pascal Berube holds a five-win lead, 60-55, over rival Stephane Brosseau while Sylvain Tremblay has an unsurpassable lead in capturing his first trainer title at H3R with 28 wins from his stable. His nearest rival is four-time defending champion Francis Richard with 19 wins.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from QJC)