While most fans Sunday afternoon were waiting to see how trainer/driver Yves Filion’s Xpert Bayama would do in his Hippodrome 3R half mile track debut in the eighth race, Filion’s Clodam Bayama was totally ignored in the fourth race second division of the series for fillies and nicely rewarded her backers, paying $17.40 to win.
The spotlight was on the second round of the Breeders Cup Series at 3R for three-year-old colt and filly pacers with two divisions for each gender on the program.
Art De Gagnee (Mario Charron) was first on the lead from the rail in the fourth race but gave way at the opening quarter mile to the 1/9 race favourite, Miss Babe Delight in :29.3. They raced to the half in 1:01.4 as HP Pandora (Stephane Brosseau) came first-over and gave live cover to Wild River Swan (Louis-Philippe Roy). Then in the backstretch the action really heated up.
HP Pandora was able to put a head up on Miss Babe Delight but could not pass her by and then from the back of the pack, Yves Filion had Clodam Bayama flying three-wide and it was all three horses vying for the lead at the three-quarters in 1:32.4. Miss Babe Delight dug in for Berube on the lead as PH Pandora began to fade and Clodam Bayama stuck three-wide around the final turn, but as they started down the stretch, Clodam Bayama proved to be the strong horse, collaring Miss Babe Delight and winning by a half-length in 2:03.1.
It was the second win in ten starts this year for Clodam Bayama, who two starts back had won at Rideau Carlton in 1:56.2. The homebred daughter of Bettors Delight is co-owned and bred by Filion’s Bayama Farms with Jacques Damours. She went off at odds of 7-1.
HP Sissy and driver Mario Baillargeon had little trouble scoring her second straight win in the series. The daughter of Up The Credit went to the early lead in the third race over Imagine Speed (Stephane Gendron) by the opening quarter mile in :29.1. She then cut the mile through the half in :59.3, three-quarters in 1:30.2, then cut loose in the stretch to win by three and three-quarter lengths in 2:01. Imagine Speed was second with Drift Panic (Gaetan Lamy) third. Her time over the off track was five seconds slower than her victory last week in 1:56.1.
HP Sissy is trained by Jean Tourigny, bred and co-owned by Claude Hamel with Michel Damphousse, both from Quebec. She paid just $2.10 to win at the 1-9 favourite.
In the seventh race first division for pacing colts, HP Patriote and driver Louis-Phillipe Roy were the 1-4 wagering favourite but did not race that way early on.
Mister Godro (Stephane Gendron) went right to the lead and cut the mile to the opening quarter in :30 and the half mile in 1:01 as Roy was coming first-over with HP Patriote. But it seemed the race favourite could not get into proper gear and was lagging behind. Roy then found the right gear for HP Patriote as once they started down the backstretch, the son of Vintage Master took off, cleared to the lead at the three-quarters in 1:30.4 and then strolled home an easy winner by 9-1/2 lengths in 2:00.2. Mister Godro was second with Magster (Gaetan Lamy) third.
Trained by Gerard Demers and co-owned and bred by Claude Hamel with Les Ecuries GLD Inc of Quebec, it was the second straight win and sixth victory in just seven starts this year for HP Patriote. He paid $2.50 to win.
In the eighth race second division for colts, there was excitement from the very start of the race as four horses all vied for the early lead. Yves Filion’s Xpert Bayama caught the worst of it, getting parked out four-wide, but once the field settled around the turn, he was able to urge Xpert Hanover to the lead over Sports Authority (Mario Charron) in a speedy :28.3. Then it was EY Cowboy (Louis-Philippe Roy) getting caught on the outside so they pressed Xpert Bayama to the half mile in :58.3 as Filion was not going to allow them to get the lead.
Once they started down the backstretch, Mario Baillargeon sent Dance With Joe three-wide with a big brush of speed and they cleared past Xpert Bayama, but then became rough gaited at the three-quarters in 1:28.4 and had to pull wide right from the field. This enabled Filion and Xpert Bayama to retake control of the race, Charron then came first-over with Sports Authority as Dance With Joe came back into the hunt three-wide and now four-wide on the final turn was the fast closing Mr Mach Jimmy and driver Pascal Berube.
Down the stretch they came. Xpert Bayama began to fade, Dance With Joe was tiring but still game, Mr Mach Jimmy was trying, but it was Sports Authority who showed true grit and dug in for the victory in 2:00.1 by three-quarters of a length. Dance With Joe was second and placed third for interfering with Mr Mach Jimmy, who was placed second.
Trained by Maxime Velaye, it was the fourth win in seven starts this year for Sports Authority. The son of Sportswriter posted a lifetime mark for the Determination Stable of Montreal, QC and at 13-1 odds paid $28.00 to win.
The 14-year-old trotter, Pablo Angus, in his final year of pari-mutuel racing, made a break at the start of the second race, but was able to not only recover, but take the lead after the opening quarter mile and crush the field by eight open lengths. The $815,000 career winner was driven by Gaetan Lamy and covered the one-mile race over the sloppy track in 2:05.1.
Trainer Jean Tourigny had a double on the afternoon program and is now tied with defending leading trainer, Maxime Velaye, and Yves Tessier this season, each with nine victories. Right behind them is Daniel Martin with eight wins.
Coming up Tuesday the Hippodrome 3R hosts the Quebec/Eastern Ontario Regional Driver Championship. Eight top drivers will compete in six races and the two top point earners will advance to the championship at the Raceway at Western Fair on Friday, October 14 to determine who will represent Canada at the world driving championship next year that will be held in Canada.
The eight drivers competing Tuesday evening at 3R are Jacques Beaudoin, Pascal Berube, Gord Brown, Guy Gagnon, Sylvain Lacaille, Gaetan Lamy, Brett MacDonald and Louis-Phillipe Roy.
First race post time Tuesday is 7:00 p.m.
(QJC)
To view results for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.