A battle took place in the featured Mares Preferred Handicap Pace on Sunday afternoon (July 19) at Hippodrome 3R, and the photo finish camera was needed to declare Y C Easy the winner.
Shemaksmefelunreal and driver Stephane Brosseau took command early, with Hammering Haley (Francis Picard) in the two-hole spot to the opening quarter in :29.1.
Sieras Rose (Pierre-Luc Roy) came first-over at the :59.3 half, giving Y C Easy (Steeven Genois) second-over cover. On the backstretch, Steeven Genois sent Y C Easy three-wide by three-quarters in 1:28.2.
Those three horses continued to battle it out on the final turn. In the stretch, Y C Easy and Genois looked to move ahead, but Hammering Haley was not done yet. Those two had to wait for the photo finish, which showed Y C Easy winning by a nose over Hammering Haley in 1:58.1, with Sieras Rose third by a half-length.
It was the first win in nine starts this year for Y C Easy, a five-year-old mare by Sportswriter trained and owned by Carl Duguay. She paid $14.40 to win.
On the undercard, driver Pascal Berube notched his first hat trick of the 2020 season.
In the second race, featuring two-year-old pacers, 1-2 favourite Platine Alpha (Carol Voyer) was first on the lead with 16-1 Write One (Pascal Berube) sitting the pocket seat . Then, with a bold three-wide move, Too Soon BG and driver Stephane Brosseau took command by the opening quarter in :29.1.
Right away Berube came out and took the lead with Write One, who led to the half in :59.4. In the backstretch, Platine Alpha came first-over and collared Write One by three-quarters in 1:29.3. Those two fillies then duked it out on the final turn and in the stretch, where Write One proved to be the best by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:59.1 over Platine Alpha with Full Power Sena (Genois) third.
It was the second lifetime start and first pari-mutuel victory for Write One. The Sportswriter filly from the Die Laughing mare Tug River Della is trained and owned by Francois Leconte and paid $34.30 to win. She is the 12th foal from the mare and a half-sister to Rub N Tug p,1:50.3 ($474,000) and Della Cruise p,1:50.3 ($312,000), as well as a full sister to Bet On Brett p,1:50.1 ($168,000).
Berube also won with Pez Dispencer in the sixth-race pace in 1:56.4 and the fifth-race pace with PLD Needy in a lifetime best 1:59.1.
Undefeated Mickeymaksomespeed (Stephane Gendron) posted his fourth straight win Sunday with a 1:58.1 triumph for breeder, owner and trainer Michel Allard. Three of his wins have come at Hippodrome 3R, tying him with Zar E IP and SOS Turbo as the winningest horses this meet. Live racing resumes at the Hippodrome 3R next Friday (July 24) at 4 p.m. Friday’s card kicks off another three-day weekend of live racing. Saturday's card features the second round of the Québec Regional Fair Circuit. Saturday and Sunday’s race cards begin at 1 p.m.
For more information, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Sunday's full results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(Québec Jockey Club)