Paradise Moni completed the Series Quebecoises sweep Sunday, July 5 at Hippodrome 3R, capturing the $25,000 finale in 1:57.3 to register his fifth straight victory. The race was one of four series finals on the program.
One-half of the favoured Kevin Maguire-trained entry, Paradise Moni and driver Denis St-Pierre trotted off the pace early as Mass Speed and Steeven Genois set fractions of :28.2 and :58.1. As Kenogami Coco moved from fourth and began to advance first-up, St-Pierre followed the cover, improving to third as the field reached three quarters in 1:27.2. Paradise Moni flipped three-wide to circle Kenogami Coco and engage Mass Speed in the final turn, dispatching the leader and drawing away by two lengths with a :29.4 last quarter. Mass Speed finished second while 31-1 Timonier (Jocelyn Gendron) closed for third.
Paradise Moni is a five-year-old gelded son of International Moni out of the Jailhouse Jesse mare Jessies Song. The trotter is owned by Ecuries Maguire Inc of Sainte-Marie, Que. and Jean-Francois Maguire of Carlisle, Ont. Paradise Moni swept the preliminaries and final to improve his career win total to 21 in 58 starts, with $149,998 in earnings.
Greenleaf and Steven Gagnon secured the $25,000 final for older mare trotters, edging Stella Alpha at the wire by a neck in 2:01. Starting on the outside in a compact field of five, Gagnon settled into the pocket behind leader Stella Alpha (Stephane Brosseau) through :29.4 and 1:00.4 opening fractions. Greenleaf abandoned the pylons and pushed a neck in front racing to three quarters in 1:30.3. Favoured Chic Choc Rose and Pascal Berube followed the cover, and in the final turn took aim at Greenleaf as Stella Alpha held her ground to the inside. A surging Chic Choc Rose broke stride, while Stella Alpha dug in gamely along the inside to fight all the way to the wire but came up short. Sant Ambroggio (William Roy) finished nearly four lengths off the leaders in third.
Greenleaf is a four-year-old Green Manalishi S-Wawona mare trained by Pierre Marc Longpre. A winner in 10 of 39 lifetime starts with earnings of $85,196, the trotter is owned by Ecurie Largo Inc. of Notre-Dame-De-Lourdes, Que.
Boomboom Tonight extended his winning streak en route to victory in the $25,000 Series Quebecoises final for older male pacers, stopping the timer in 1:54.2. Favoured in the field of seven, driver Francis Picard sent the gelding to the lead from the rail, pacing the field through fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.3. Bets Beach (Berube) closed the gap in the lane to finish a half-length behind the winner. Kingston Panic (Marie-Claude Auger) rounded out the trifecta.
Boomboom Tonight is conditioned by Elisabeth Pothier of St-Christophe-D'Arthabask, Que., who bred and owns the altered son of Sportswriter-Rapid Tonight. The victory is the third consecutive for the homebred and established a new lifetime best for the pacer, now a winner in 13 of 21 starts with $106,424 on his card.
Godiva Shadow Girl put on a show in the $25,000 final for older pacing mares, turning in a wire-to-wire effort to triumph in 1:55.3. Leading at every station for Roy, the six-year-old mare turned in splits of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.2 before sprinting home in :29.1 to win by 3-1/4-lengths. Kiss Me Bad finished second after tracking third the entire mile, while favoured Silver Majesty and St-Pierre raced third.
Godiva Shadow Girl is a Shadow Play-Godiva Beachgirl mare trained by Lyne Asselin for breeder and owner Raymond Larose of St-Henri-De-Levis, Que. Now a winner in three of five seasonal starts, a two consecutive, Godiva Shadow Girl has claimed victory in 13 of 32 career attempts, with earnings of $86,035.
Self Made and trainer/driver Brosseau used a pocket trip to perfection Sunday, overtaking Jk Party in the lane and winning the $7,000 Preferred Pace in 1:55.2. Sitting second through panels of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.4, Self Made dashed to the wire in :29.2, one-fifth faster than the leader, to pick up the half-length win. Ambitious Mind, 43-1, closed from fifth for Picard to finish on the board. Self Made is a seven-year-old gelded son of Fear The Dragon-Arrivista Hanover owned by Robert Bergeron of Laval, Que. and Chantal Trepanier of Laval, Que. The 27-time winner now possesses earnings of $330,295.
For the full results from Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R
(Standardbred Canada)