Cadillac Bayama earned his first win of 2021 as he upset 1-5 favourite The Light Speed in the opening round of the Breeders Trophy Series on Sunday (July 18) at Hippodrome 3R.
The first race featured the colt division of the Breeders Trophy Series, with The Light Speed going for his fifth straight win in as many starts this season for trainer-driver Guy Gagnon. The son of Moon Beam came into the race off of a stunning 1:52.3 triumph at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Cadillac Bayama came into the race without a win in three starts for Hall of Fame trainer-driver Yves Filion. The Sunshine Beach colt was a fan favourite last year at H3R, and finished second by a nose two starts back at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:50.4.
Both Filion and Gagnon went after the early lead, with Cadillac Bayama stinging The Light Speed to the opening quarter in :27.2. Once settled on the lead, Gagnon let The Light Speed get a breather to the half in :57.2. The two horses then began to pull away from the rest of the field to three-quarters in 1:26.3.
It was then that Filion and Cadillac Bayama came after The Light Speed, and were gaining ground on the final turn. Once collared starting down the stretch, Cadillac Bayama was the strong horse, kicking in another gear and beating The Light Speed by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:55. Ptitebouledchafra (Jocelyn Gendron) was third.
Bred and owned by Filion’s Bayama Farms, Cadillac Bayama paid $7.00 to win.
In the first division of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old pacing fillies, it was once again Filion’s Celia Bayama winning over favourite CL Sportsextreme.
Filion left from the rail with Celia Bayama, who, as a two-year-old, was the Québec-bred champion in 2020. Celia Bayama came into the race winless in five starts this year, but two starts back was second by a neck in 1:54.1.
With CL Sportsextreme (Jonathan Lachance) content to sit the two-hole, Celia Bayama led to the first quarter in :29.4 and then proceeded to cut pedestrian fractions of 1:00.3 and 1:30.2. This allowed Ibiza Panic (Francis Picard) to come first-over and give live second-over cover to Whitemountaincammy (Stephane Brosseau) — and also kept CL Sportsextreme boxed in.
Filion kept CL Sportsextreme boxed in as they started down the stretch, and then pulled away at the wire to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:00.2. CL Sportsextreme was second with Ibiza Panci third.
Celia Bayama, a daughter of Bettors Delight, posted her first win of 2021 after six starts for the Bayama Farms. She paid $4.50 to win.
Filion brought just the two horses to H3R and went home with a driving, training, owning and breeding double. Filion, age 75, now has 4,175 wins in his career and purse earnings in excess of $26 million.
In the second division for pacing fillies, it was a two-horse battle between local favourite Platine Alpha and invader Got Sexy Scars, who, in her last start, was second by a nose in 1:52.3 at Georgian Downs.
Platine Alpha and driver Pascal Berube went to the early lead with Prettydiva (Guy Gagnon) sitting the pocket trip and Got Sexy Scars third through a :28.4 first quarter. Nearing the half, Guy Gagnon came first-over with Got Sexy Scars as Berube and Platine Alpha backed the pace down to :59.3.
The action picked up in the backstretch as the two favourites started to separate from the field going to the three-quarters in 1:28.2. Got Sexy Scars dug in first-over and collared Platine Alpha as they started down the stretch. The two horses went head and head to the wire, with Platine Alpha winning by a long nose in 1:57.4. Prettydiva was third.
Platine Alpha, a filly by Control The Moment, posted her sixth win in 10 starts this year for trainer, owner and breeder Sylvain Tremblay and his Alpha Stable. Platine Alpha, the winningest horse this season at Hippodrome 3R, paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favourite.
The Breeders Trophy Series, for three-year-olds, features three rounds of preliminary competition with the top eight point earners in each division returning on Sept. 12 for their respective $65,000 finals.
In the Preferred Handicap Pace, Mickeymaksomespeed and driver Samuel Fillion ground out a first-over win against warhorse Atomic Million AM (Sylvain Lacaille), pulling away to score by two lengths in 1:55.3 over D Gs De Vito (Jonathan Lachance) and Somewhere Bettor (Jocelyn Gendron).
A four-year-old stallion by Mickey Hanover, Mickeymaksomespeed is owned, trained and bred by Michel Allard, and paid $2.70 to win.
Filion, Samuel Fillion and Daniel Laflamme all had driving doubles Sunday. Filion was the only trainer to have a double.
Live harness racing resumes at H3R next Friday (July 23) with two-year-old trotting colts and fillies competing in the first round of the Future Stars Series. Post time Friday is 4 p.m. For more information and free race programs, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(Québec Jockey Club)