When it comes to training trotters in harness racing, it takes plenty of patience. No one knows that better than owner/trainer Pierre Turcotte, whose trotter Sultan D Or won the second race on Friday night (May 24) at the Hippodrome 3R to remain undefeated in 2019.
You see, Sultan D Or is a 10-year-old gelding by Newtown who never won a betting race until age nine last year. Turcotte has owned Sultan D Or since the horse was a two-year-old. He did not race at age two, tried briefly at ages three to eight, but was winless due to injuries and always breaking stride before finally winning a race last year and now he is undefeated in three starts in 2019.
Driven by Jocelyn Gendron, Sultan D Or left from post seven and took command of the race by the opening quarter mile in :29.2. They were immediately challenged on the outside by Mr Logan Mirox (Michel Audet), who kept the pressure on to the half-mile in :59.1 and then to the three-quarters in 1:30.4.
Around the final turn, Sultan D Or was nearly collared but dug in some more coming down the stretch as Mr Logan Mirox began to fade. Gendron and Sultan D Or held game to the finish, winning by a half-length over a late-charging Aworthy Bi (Daniel Laflamme), with Abundasass (Stephane Brosseau) third. The time of the one-mile race was 2:03.2.
Sultan D Or is now the leading race winner at 3R this season. He paid $8.80 to win.
The seventh race, $5,000 Preferred Handicap Trot saw former Quebec-Bred Series champion Holiday Party lead from start to finish for driver Pascal Berube, winning with ease by three lengths in 2:00 over 25-1 Dance Hall George (Francis Picard) and Jamigo (Daniel Laflamme).
The win was the first this year in three starts for Holiday Party. The six-year-old gelded son of Holiday Road is trained by Isabelle Binet for the Holiday Party Stable of Portneuf, Que. He paid $7.60 to win.
Pascal Berube led all drivers with three wins while Isabelle Binet led all trainers with two wins.
Track Notes: Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon with a 10-race program. First race post time at 1 p.m. The seventh race Preferred Handicap Pace is highlighted by the return of last week’s winner Outlaw Turn N Burn, who will start from post six.
Last week he got a perfect drive by Francis Picard, scoring from a two-hole trip to win by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:56.1. Also, in the field Sunday are Windsun Cheyenne (Post 7) and Mister Big Top (Post 6).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from the Quebec Jockey Club)