First wins of the season aren't always impressive, but they are when your first win of the season comes nearly 12 years since your last start and you've made just 22 lifetime driving appearances.
There was clearly no rust on the hands of Johanne Letourneau, who captured the Ladies Driver Challenge Pace at Hippodrome 3R on Saturday (July 25).
Carded as the eighth race of the afternoon -- one of four special Saturday fair circuit cards at 3R this summer -- the field was comprised of eight female drivers, and the contest began with a cavalry charge for control of the early lead.
Driver Lena Ouellet left with Adamncam and would not let anyone pass her by as Fortune Fella (Caroline Maheux) was first-over and Old Fashioned Gal (Guylaine Gagnon) was parked out three-wide past the opening first quarter mile in :28.2.
Still parked out three-wide around the second turn, Fortune Fella broke stride and carried Old Fashioned Gal way wide and out of the race. Adamncam was alone on the lead past the half-mile in :59.
Down the backstretch, the race favourite Open Water and driver Johanne Letourneau came charging first-over and blew by Adamncam and Heaven For Sure (Gabrielle St Onge) by the 1:30 three-quarters in 1:30. It was open road for Open Water, winning by two lengths in 2:00.3. Heaven For Sure was second with Angelo Benjo (Jessica Turenne) third.
For Letourneau of St. Edouard De Lotbin, it was her first driving victory 3R. Her win with Open Water gave the 12-year-old gelded son of Artiscape back-to-back victories. He is trained by Sylvain Fontaine and paid $3.40 to win.
Claudi P V and owner/trainer/driver Serge Nadeau of St-Marcel-De-Richelieu tipped three-wide on the final turn of the third race trot and came charging down the stretch to win in 2:00.3 at odds of 47-1. Across the board, Claudi P V paid $96.60, $42.10 and $11.90. It was the highest win payout this season at Hippodrome 3R.
Live harness racing continues at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday with an eight-race program starting at 1:00 p.m. Featured will be the third race Fillies & Mares Preferred-Handicap Pace where Y C Easy (Post 3) will try again for an upset victory like she did last week at odds of 6-1. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca.
To view the results from Exhibition Park's Saturday card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)