D Gs Woodstock for the past two weeks has been the fastest pacer at the Hippodrome 3R and this Sunday he just missed tying the track record for older pacers by three-fifths of second.
Sent off as the 1/5 betting favourite, driver Denis St. Pierre sent the seven-year-old gelded son of Yankee Cam right after the early lead from post seven. But Shanghai B G (Marie Claude Auger) ended up stinging him to the opening quarter mile in a speedy :27.1 and then D Gs Woodstock took over command and led the field to the half mile marker in :57 and with the exception of Shanghai B G, who was on his back, left the rest of the field in their wake.
Past the three-quarters in 1:25.1, it was a two-horse race but down the stretch D G’s Woodstock pulled away from Shanghai B G to win by two and one-half lengths in 1:53.4. Shanghai B G was second with Who Dey (Richard Simard) in third but back nearly ten lengths from the winner.
His time was just three-fifths of a second from Duc Dorleans track record of 1:53.1 set on May 4, 2014.
Trained by Guylaine Fortin for owner/breeder Daniel Suprenant of Saint-Valentin, QC, it was the second straight win and third victory on the year for D G’s Woodstock, who paid $2.60 to win.
The two-year-old trotting colt, William Star, is now unbeaten in two starts for trainer/driver Jean Francois Maguire.
Competing Sunday in the third race, the son of Windsong Espoir was able to take the early lead away from D Espoir (Denis St Pierre) before the opening quarter mile and then led the rest of the race, winning with ease by one and three-quarter lengths in 2:05.4.
Co-owned by Maguire with Yves Ringuet and David Lapierre of Quebec, William Star paid a generous $4.30 to win as the betting favourite.
Live racing resumes at the Hippodrome 3R on Tuesday with first race post time at 7 p.m.
(Quebec Jockey Club)
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.