With sunny skies and warm temperatures, the conditions were perfect for a track record to be set at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (July 15) and Hudson Phil made it happen.
In the opening round first division of the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old pacing colts, Hudson Phil put on a show of speed with a four-length romp in 1:53.2 for driver Stephane Brosseau.
The third race of the day got underway with Kinnder Jackson (Justin Filion) and Play Jet Hay (Guy Gagnon) battling for the early lead. Filion was able to clear to the front with Kinnder Jackson, and then Gagnon came right back to take control with Play Jet Hay in :26.4 for the opening quarter mile.
Then it was Hudson Phil’s turn to speed things up. As they came off the second turn, Play Jet Hay bore out and made a slight break in stride, which allowed just enough room for Brosseau to squeeze between the two horses and take the lead to the half-mile marker in :55.2.
With Kinnder Jackson in second place, Gagnon continued on the outside with Play Jet Bay and pressed Hudson Phil to the three-quarters in 1:23.4. Then in the stretch drive, Play Jet Bay had enough and began to fade as Hudson Phil went on to win by 3-1/2 lengths. Play Jet Bay held for second.
The prior record for a three-year-old colt was 1:54.1, set by Eveil Dun Champion in 2014. The gelding record was not broken as that is still held by Duc D’Orleans at 1:52.4 in 2013. This was the first track record to be broken this season at H3R.
A son of Shanghai Phil, Hudson Phil is trained by Mark Steacy and was bred by owners Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson. Hudson Phil paid $2.70 to win. He was a winner of $171,000 last year and this was his second win in eight starts this year.
The 1:53.2 clocking was the fastest mile this year at H3R.
The second division of the Breeders Cup Series for colts (race nine) saw last year’s champion, Stock, wire the field with ease for driver Stephane Brosseau.
Stock went right to the lead from post 5 and held the field at bay through the opening quarter mile in :27.4 and to the half in :57.
Then in the backstretch, Brosseau asked Stock for a little more, and the son of Sportswriter pulled away to a ten-length lead after the three-quarters in 1:25.2 and then went on to win in a huge romp by 15-3/4 lengths in 1:54.2.
Big Mach (Guy Gagnon), who made a break at the start, then rebounded, came first-over in vain but held for second place with Challenge Magic (Jocelyn Gendron) third.
It was the second win in nine starts this year for Stock. He is trained by Dany Fountaine and was bred by Sotirios Anastaspoulo of Sainte-Therese and co-owned with Ecurie Gaetan Bono of Montreal. He paid just $2.10 to win.
The first division of the Breeders Cup for fillies (race five) started off with Lune Bleu (Pierre Luc Roy) parking out Butterfly GB (Guy Gagnon) until nearly the opening quarter mile in :27.4.
Then, Butterfly BG led the field past the half in :57.4 as D Gs Shadowsbell and driver Jonathan Lachance came after them first-over. The two horses sped to the three-quarters in 1:26.4.
D Gs Shadowsbell could not give up and pressed Butterfly BG on the outside until they started down the stretch. It was then that Butterfly BG proved to be the stronger filly, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.2. Lune Bleu was third.
It was a lifetime mark for Butterfly BG and the daughter of Sportswriter’s second win in nine starts for Gagnon, who also trains the filly. She was bred and is owned by Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy and paid $2.50 to win as the wagering favourite.
In the second division for the fillies (race eight), it was all Katniss S BG and driver Pascal Berube. They led from start to finish, and turned aside a first-over challenge from Lit De Rose (Pierre Luc Roy). Katniss S BG won by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:57 with Miss Rockadale (Guy Gagnon) second with Lit De Rose third.
It was the second win in eight starts this year for Katniss S BG. She is sired by Mach Three, trained by Richard Moreau and was bred and is co-owned by Sylvain Descheneaux and Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy. Katniss S BG paid just $2.30 to win.
Pascal Berube led all drivers with a triple on the afternoon and Dany Fontaine sent two winners out from his stable.
The opening round of the Breeders Cup for three-year-old trotters kicks off Tuesday evening (July 17). There is a full field of ten colts that will battle it out in the fifth race, while only three fillies entered the first round and will compete in a non-wagering race between the fourth and fifth races on the program. First post is 6:30 p.m.
For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(Québec Jockey Club)