Now unbeaten in his first two starts of the year, Kinnder Dangerous put away all challengers Tuesday at the Hippodrome 3R in the second round of the $220,000 Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old trotters.
Sent off as the 6/5 wagering favourite in the second race first division for colt trotters, Kinnder Dangerous and driver Justin Filion went right to the early lead and was challenged immediately by 45-1 long shot Bastiano and driver Stephane Gendron.
Those two battled around the first turn until Gendron backed off and took the two-hole spot by the opening quarter mile in :29.
Just as Kinnder Dangerous and Filion settled in on the lead, out from third place came Capteur De Reve and driver Pierre-Luc Roy to try and take over the lead. They ended up parked out first-over past the half mile marker in :59.3 and through the backstretch, unable to collar Kinnder Dangerous.
By the three-quarters in 1:29.4, Filion gave Kinnder Dangerous his head and he started to pull away from the field, easily holding off Bastiano at the finish for a one and one-quarter length triumph in 2:00. Capteur De Reve was third.
Unbeaten in two starts this year, Kinnder Dangerous is sired by Northern Escort and bred, owned and trained by Denitza Petrova of Melbourne, paying $4.50 to win.
Petrova was unable to come to H3R to see the race live as she was taking care of a sick foal on the farm. She watched the race on her cell phone.
“Omg, I was so nervous as I saw they wouldn't let him have it easy at all,” Petrova said. “They kept attacking him, but he held them off. He is doing so well now. Justin told me the track was heavy and they gave one second, so I think he went a super race and he said he did not have to pull his ear plugs yet!”
The fifth race Breeders Cup division for three-year-old trotting fillies saw the 1/9 wagering favourite, HP Run Like Mom, have to work to get her fourth straight victory of the season.
It was Vanilla Star and driver Richard Simard shooting to the early lead with HP Run Like Mom and driver Stephane Brosseau getting into the two-hole. Vanilla Star led the field to the opening quarter mile in :30.1 and to the half mile in 1:01 before Brosseau started to the outside with HP Run Like Mom.
But Vanilla Star was not going to give up the lead and parked out HP Run Like Mom throughout the backstretch, past the three-quarters in 1:31.1 and around the final turn.
Then as they came down the stretch, Brosseau urged his filly and HP Run Like Mom responded and pasted by Vanilla Star to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 2:00.4. Vanilla Star was second with Moskido (Francis Picard) third.
A three-year-old filly by Kadabra, HP Run Like Mom tied her lifetime best mile Tuesday. She is bred by Claude Hamel and co-owned with Michel Damphousse and trained by Jean Tourigny. She paid just $2.10 to win.
The sixth race second division of the Breeders Cup Series for fillies saw Affirmee and driver Pierre-Luc Roy wire the field in strange fashion.
Leaving from post five, Affirmee and Roy opened up over seven lengths on the field by the opening quarter mile in :29.2. They continued to increase their lead by over ten lengths at the half mile in 1:00.1. Then backed it down to a five-length lead at the three-quarters in 1:32.1 as Magestic M and trainer/driver Kevin Maguire were able to catch up to Affirmee.
As they came down the stretch, Affirmee has just enough of a lead to hold off Magestic M to win by one and one-half lengths in 2:03.3. Justice For Eva (Pascale Berube) was third.
It was the maiden victory for Affirmee after nine lifetime starts. She is sired by Angus Hall and trained by Maxime Velaye for the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel who also bred the filly. She paid $3.00 to win.
Trois-Rivieres native and Canadian Olympic boxer (2012) and undefeated professional boxer (5-0), Simon Kean, was at the Hippodrome 3R Tuesday, meeting race fans and signing autographs.
Live racing resumes Sunday at H3R with the third and final preliminary round of the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
(QJC)
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Hippodrome 3R.