Harness racing driver Stephane Brosseau had the hot hands at the Hippodrome 3R on Friday afternoon (July 10), scoring a driving triple that included a victory in the $4,500 Preferred Handicap Trot.
Sent off as the 2-1 betting favourite, Brosseau was patient with Upvote Hanover after the start of the race as Precieuse CC (Claude Beausoleil) went off stride on the lead. After the break, driver Pascal Berube inherited the lead with Lucky Promesses, who may have seemed to be riled up by Precieuse CC as she trotted to the opening quarter-mile in a speedy :27.2.
Lucky Promesses cut the mile to the half in :58.1 with Stpattysday (Stephane Gendron) sitting the pocket seat and Upvote Hanover coming first-over for Brosseau and the war horse, Caroluzzo (Pierre Luc Roy), second-over.
As the field reached the three-quarter-mile pole in 1:28.3, Lucky Promesses was still on the lead as Berube pulled from the pocket with Stpaddysday and came after Lucky Promesses on the final turn. They cleared to the lead with Upvote Hanover still first-over but now gaining ground.
Coming off the final turn, Upvote Hanover was able to collar Stpaddysday and beat her to the wire by a long neck in 2:00.1. Eau Naturelle (Steeven Genois) was third.
The win was the third this year for the six-year-old gelded son of Kadabra. He is trained by Brosseau for owner Francois Morin of Beauceville, Que. The victory was Upvote Hanover’s 22nd lifetime and he paid $6.80 to win as the mild favourite.
For Brosseau, it was his second driving triple of the H3R meeting.
15-year-old trotter racing on Saturday
Chinnys Wings, who is 15 years old, gets another chance at racing Saturday when the Quebec Jockey Club hosts the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit races at H3R starting at 1 p.m. H3R is hosting four special Saturday Fair Circuit events.
A career winner of $382,000 and 45 races, Chinnys Wings starts from post eight in the third race trot. He is trained and driven by Jean Lord and is owned by Lord's wife, Nancy, of Trois-Rivieres.
Chinnys Wings is allowed to race on the Fair Circuit until he turns age 17 and that is when he must retire from racing. This is his first start back at the track since December 19.
Track Notes: Driver David Pilon and trainer Francis Richard both had doubles on the program Friday. Live racing takes place all weekend at H3R. There are eight races both Saturday and Sunday with first race post time at 1 p.m. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)