With a perfect wait and see drive, Kiwon Waldron steered X O X O to a dominant triumph in the $6,000 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Trot at Hippodrome 3R on Friday afternoon (June 10).
The second race feature was billed as a battle of the sexes, but it started off with a brutal slugfest for control of the lead. Muscles Forever (Sylvain Fontaine) had the lead and P C Heisenberg (Marie-Claude Auger) wanted the front. Those two were up by three lengths on the field by the first quarter in :28.1. Waldron was sitting in third watching it all take place with X O X O.
Driver Stephane Brosseau had Laa Dee Gaa moving first-over after the opening quarter and was inching towards the leaders at the half-mile in :58.2. Waldron waited and then followed the second-over cover before the half-mile mark.
As the field raced down the backstretch, X O X O had too much trot and Waldron took the mare three-wide past the three-quarters in 1:29 and was able to clear to the lead on the outside by the top of the stretch.
Coming down the lane, X O X O pulled away from the field to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 2:00.1 over the 'good' track. Laa Dee Gaa was second with P C Heisenberg third. The race favourite, Stella Alpha, broke stride before the half-mile.
The win was the second straight in the Preferred for X O X O and her third win of the season in six starts. A four-year-old mare by Angus Hall, X O X O is trained by Michel Allard for the D Racing Stable of Middletown, New York. She paid $7.20 to win.
In the sixth race, $6,000 Mares Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace, Platine Alpha and driver Jimmy Gagnon turned the tables on the 1-5 race favourite, La Petite Grise (Pascal Berube).
Numerous lead changes took place early on with Molly Cool (Brosseau) on the lead, then Shemaksmefelunreal (Waldron) came on the outside to take command. Then, at the quarter in :27.4, Brosseau came back to the front with Molly Cool.
Meanwhile, Berube was on the move with La Petite Grise and they took over before the half-mile in :58 with Platine Alpha coming first-over and giving outside cover to Sophies Cam (Simon Delisle).
After the three-quarters in 1:28.2, both La Petite Grise and Platine Alpha separated from the field and those two went head-to-head around the final turn and down the stretch. Platine Alpha was ultimately able to grind it out and win by a half-length in 1:58.2. Molly Cool was third.
A four-year-old mare by Control The Moment, Platine Alpha was bred and is owned by the Ecurie Alpha of trainer Sylvain Tremblay. The win was her second this year from nine starts and she paid $10.50 to her backers.
Track Notes: Marie-Claude Auger led all drivers Friday with a double. Live racing resumes at H3R on Sunday (June 12) with first race post time at 12 noon. Windsong Cheyenne can become the winningest horse at H3R this season if he can win the third race pace for driver Pascal Berube. He already has won four of his last five starts for trainer/owner Gina Bragagnolo.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)