Siddhartha and driver Stephanie Brosseau were able to grind out an impressive first-over score in capturing the Preferred Pace on Sunday afternoon (May 21) at Hippodrome 3R.
The $5,000 ninth race feature started off with Mickeymaksomespeed (Jocelyn Gendron) shooting to the early lead from post seven with Platine Alpha (Jimmy Gagnon) sitting in the pocket to the first quarter in :28.2. Meanwhile, Siddhartha and Brosseau had started up first-over from before the quarter and following the outside cover second-over was the 3-2 race favourite and return winner, D Gs De Vito, with driver Jonathan Lachance.
Mickeymaksomespeed held his ground past the half-mile marker in :57.3 as Siddhartha was working his way up towards the leaders. In the backstretch, Siddhartha picked up the pace as D Gs De Vito was gapping second-over. Then Mickeymaksomespeed began to tire and Siddhartha took over the lead right at the three-quarters in 1:26.3.
Around the final turn, Siddhartha was strong on the lead with D Gs De Vito trying to make up the lost ground but was unable to as Siddhartha went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3, the fastest mile on the 10-race card. D Gs De Vito was second with Platine Alpha third.
The win was the second in four start this season for Siddhartha. The seven-year-old So Surreal gelding is trained and owned by Louis Philippe Turcotte of Trois-Rivieres, Que. He paid $7.60 to win.
The eighth race pace produced the first $100+ winner of the season. The 1-5 favourite, Goldinthebadlands with Pascal Berube in the bike, cleared to the lead at the three-quarters with 51-1 longshot CL Big Beach and driver Maxime Dinelle going up first-over. In the stretch drive, Goldinthebadlands locked horns with CL Big Beach and won by a neck in 1:59, but the judges ruled that Goldinthebadlands interfered with CL Big Beach in the stretch and placed the longshot first. Trained by Nancy Auger and owned by Joel Gagnon, the five-year-old son of Sunshine Beach paid $105.30 to win.
Both Stephane Brosseau and Jonathan Lachance had driving doubles on the afternoon and Yannick Marquis had a training double.
Live harness racing resumes at 3R next Sunday, May 28 with first race post time at 12 noon.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)