Series Quebecoise action continued on Sunday afternoon at Hippodrome 3R with nearly a full card of races for four and five-year-old Quebec-bred pacers and trotters.
The second leg of the series saw multiple repeat winners, beginning in the opener with pacing mare Vallarta Magic ($5.80) as a result of a judges' placing. Favourite Prestige crossed the wire first, but was set back behind runner-up Vallarta Magic and Mario Charron for causing interference. The Shanghai Phil-Hippo Sorel mare is trained by Herman Gagne for owner/breeder Aurel Harvey Et Fils Inc. of Riviere-Malbaie, Que.
Olivias Way ($3.20) also scored back-to-back series wins for trainer/driver Marcel Barrieau. Owned and bred by Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, Que, the Shanghai Phil-This Much Is True mare converted from a pocket trip to prevail in 1:59.4 by one and three-quarter lengths over pacesetter Farouche G F.
In the male pacing division, Cliff Drummond ($3.70) and China Grill ($2.40) both left from post seven in their respective splits and cruised to their second series wins.
J.R. Plante sent Cliff Drummond wire-to-wire to win in 1:56 flat by three and a half lengths over Bestofme. The Leader Bayama-Canaco Moline ridgling is trained and owned by Pierre Ouellette Jr. of Saint Charles Boromee, Que.
China Grill romped to a 1:56.4 score with Sylvain Lacaille in the sulky for trainer Andre Lachance and owner Litwin Racing Team of Westmount, Que. The Shanghai Phil-Cam And Cynthia gelding was followed by Somehowsomeway, who finished one and a half lengths behind off a two-hole trip.
Lacaille also steered Lachance's Le Senateur A L ($2.60) to a 1:59.3 off-the-pace score in a trotting division, giving the Promising Catch-Cybelle Fantasia gelding a perfect two-for-two seasonal/series record.
Trotting mare Onthemoneyside ($2.80), driven by Yves Filion and trained by Luc Blais, fought off Aquanilla for her second series score in 2:01.2. The On The Sonny Side-Sometimes Diva mare prevailed by three-quarters of a length for breeder Judith Farrow of Hemmingford, Que. and Les Ecuries Luc Blais Inc. of Lochaber Ouest, Que.
Guy Corbeil's homebred pacing mare Intense ($8.50, J.R. Plante) and Thierry Vandenplas's trotting mare Northern Crown ($21.90, Pascal Berube) both rebounded from breaks in last week's event for Sunday wins. Intense, trained by Eric Valiquette, turned back favourite and eventual runner-up Ferrari Sena to win her division in 1:58 while Northern Crown scored a 2:02.3 front-end victory.
The other divisions were won by first-time series starters Smiley Bayama ($5.30, Yves Filion) in 1:58.1 for trainer/owner Paul Laframboise of L'Ange-Gardien, Que. and the season-debuting trotter Sucre A La Creme ($21.80, Gilles Gendron) in 1:59.4 for Danka Veilleux of Mirabel, Que.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.