Reigning divisional Quebec stakes champions Mass Speed and Kinnder Kahina were victorious as the Trophée des Éleveurs kicked off with the first preliminary leg for three-year-old trotters on Friday, July 11 at Hippodrome 3R.
Trainer Michel Allard's homebred Mass Speed (pictured above) lowered his lifetime mark to 1:59.2 in the $10,000 prelim for colts and geldings. Driven by Denis St. Pierre, the 3-5 favoured Muscle Mass-Missionoftheheart gelding led at every call, setting splits of :29.1, 1:00.3 and 1:30.4 en route to the two-length triumph with Cleveland Z Flash (Robert Shepherd) and HP Lucas (Pascal Berube) closing overland for second and third place, respectively. The winner improved to 7-4-1 from 16 career starts with earnings passing the $50,000 mark.
Trainer Denitza Petrova's homebred Kinnder Kahina prevailed by a neck in a career-best 2:02 mile in a $7,500 prelim for the fillies with driver Robert Shepherd working out a cautious winning trip for the maturing miss. Fourth through fractions of :30.3, 1:01 and 1:31.3, 4-5 favourite Kinnder Kahina rallied three-wide down the backside prompting the parked out Diara (Pascal Berube) to trot forward between foes. Kinnder Kahina collared that late leader at the wire while Soleo (Simon Delisle) overtook pacesetter Masoterapeute (Steven Gagnon) from the pocket to show. Kinnder Kahina, a daughter of Northern Escort and Witch Way, now sports a career summary reading 3-2-2 from 10 starts, with nearly $40,000 earned.
There were two filly prelims with trainer Jeremy Marcotte's Miche Charm taking the faster split in 1:59.2 for a new career mark. Driver Guy Gagnon retook the lead with the Muscle Mass-Exquisite Charm miss through a :29.1 quarter and never looked back, as the 8-5 second choice set middle splits of 1:00.1 and 1:29.4 while expanding her lead to 3-1/2 lengths. Greenleaf (Stephane Brosseau) followed in the deuce and 3-5 favourite Chic Choc Rose (Marie-Claude Auger) took third. The Willow Oak Ranch-bred winner now has a career record reading 3-2-4 from a dozen starts with more than $25,000 in the bank for her trainer, who also co-owns with Denis Marcotte of Notre-Dame De La Paix, Que.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada)