Kinnder Jackson and driver Justin Filion moved first-over against Stock and blew right by them on the final turn before tasting victory the $10,000 second round of the Breeders Cup Series at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (July 29).
The eighth race co-feature for three-year-old pacing colts saw the overwhelming race favourite, 1-5 Hudson Phil, go off-stride for driver Clarke Steacy at the start of the race.
That opened the race right away as Big Mach and driver Guy Gagnon shot out to the early lead, but it was last year’s champion, Stock, who pressed to the front for driver Stephane Brosseau and led the field at the opening quarter in :28.
They raced that way past the half in :57.4, but at the three-quarters in 1:27.1, driver Justin Filion was sitting third with Kinnder Jackson and moved him to the outside. The son of American Ideal took off and grabbed control of the lead by the top of the stretch.
From that point on, Kinnder Jackson was not going to be caught, and he drew off to win by six and one-quarter lengths in 1:56.1. Stock was second with Power Fog (driven by Pierre Luc Roy) third. Kinnder Jackson paid $21.90 to win.
Bred, owned and trained by Denitza Petrova of Melbourne, it was the second consecutive win for Kinnder Jackson and his sixth victory from seven starts this year. He is now tied with Requested as the two winningest horses at H3R this year with six wins apiece.
In the second race, the first of the two Breeders Cup divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies, Katniss S BG ($3.00) and driver Pascal Berube make it two consecutive wins in the series.
The daughter of Mach Three, bred and owned by Sylvain Descheneaux and Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy and trained by Richard Moreau saw Lit De Rose and driver Pierre Luc Roy shoot to the early lead by the opening quarter in :27.2.
Berube then moved Katniss S BG first-over and with a major burst of speed, took the lead away from Lit De Rose before the half mile in :57.4. From there Berube held the field at bay, and led at the three-quarters in 1:26.4 before opening up to win by five and one-quarter lengths in 1:56.1. Lit De Rose was second with D Gs Shadowbell (Jonathan Lachance) third.
The fifth race second filly division saw Butterfly BG ($3.90) and driver Guy Gagnon go wire-to-wire by one length in 1:59.3 over the pocket-sitting Sharks Summrshandy (Pascal Berube) with Perfect Glory (Sylvain Lacaille) a game third after racing first-over in the backstretch.
It was the second consecutive win and third of the season for Butterfly BG. The Sportswriter filly is trained by Gagnon, bred and owned by Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy.
The Invitational-Handicap Pace in the third race saw the return to H3R of three-time Quebec champion Atomic Million AM, and he came home not to lose.
Atomic Million AM ($2.50) and driver Guy Gagnon came after Chaleurs Ad (Kevin Maguire) and took command at the quarter mile in :26.2. From there it was all Atomic Million AM.
Gagnon kept his steed in control past the three-quarters in 1:24.4 and then drew off in the stretch for the race fans, winning by four open lengths in 1:53.4. Solid Performance (Pascal Berube) was second with Windsun Cheyenne (Marie Auger) third.
It was the third win this year for Atomic Million AM, a seven-year-old gelding by Million Dollar Cam, who now has career earnings of more than $278,000 for breeder, owner and trainer, Alain Martin.
Driver Pascal Berube took 9-1 Montana Ben three-wide in the backstretch the final time and looped the field, taking the lead away from Clever Thing (Tyler Jones), then scoring a five and one-half length romp in the two-mile at H3R.
The time of the race was 4:06, nearly four seconds slower than the world and track record at H3R. For Montana Ben, the six-year-old gelding by Western Terror posted his first win in 19 starts this year for trainer Marc Andre Simmoneau and paid $21.80 to win. He is owned by Francois Morin of Beauceville. Brusslebeach (Maxim Gaudreault) was second with Clever Thing third.
Track Notes: Sunday’s program was the last live race card at H3R for the next two weeks due to the Grand Prix car racing that will take over most of the town of Trois-Rivieres. The next live program will be a special one on Thursday, August 9, when H3R hosts the $120,000 finals of the Quebec-Bred Series for four and five-year-old trotters and pacers. There will be four championship races, each going for a purse of $30,000.
For more information, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)