Not even a muddy, rain-soaked track could stop track record holder Margarita Bi from winning Tuesday evening at the Hippodrome 3R in the third race featured trotting event.
Despite being stung early by Easy Virtue (Patrick Richer) to the opening quarter mile in :28.4, owner/driver Denis St. Pierre was able to manoeuvre to the lead and never looked back. Margarita Bi led the field to the half mile in :59.4, was challenged again, this time by Bel Gazou (Martin Gingras) but once they passed the three-quarters in 1:29.1, the race was all but history.
St. Pierre let his mare have her head at the top of the stretch and she trotted away from the field to win by three lengths in 1:58.3 over Bel Gazou with Erge Baboche (Stephane Brosseau) third.
It was back on June 14 that Margarita Bi set the track record for older trotting mares with a 1:57.2 victory. The five-year-old daughter of Andover Hall sports five wins this year for trainer Tiffanee Staley. Sent off as the overwhelming 1-5 betting favourite, Margarita Bi paid $2.40 to win.
Live racing resumes at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday afternoon, first race post time at 1:00 p.m.
(QJC)
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Hippodrome 3R.