In a wild photo finish that saw the race favourite break stride and nearly come back to win, Bonfire Bash collected the glory in barely winning the $6,000 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Trot on Friday (July 8) at Hippodrome 3R.
The third race co-feature first saw Hall Win and driver/trainer Kevin Maguire fire from the starting gate like he was shot from a cannon. He grabbed the lead from post eight before the field entered the first turn.
With Bonfire Bash and driver Francis Picard getting the two-hole trip behind Hall Win, the 1-9 race favourite Kinnder Dangerzone and driver Pierre-Luc Roy were coming after the leaders on the outside in the first turn and broke stride. Roy nearly had to bring him to a halt to get him back trotting.
Meanwhile, Hall Win led the field to the first quarter in :29.2 and backed it off to the half-mile in 1:00. Then Archimed Alpha (Pascal Berube) came first-over with Eau Naturelle (Stephane Brosseau) second-over.
Heading towards the three-quarters, 46-1 Morally Flexible (Daniel Theroux) was third-over then tipped three-wide with was Kinnder Dangerzone, who had regrouped and caught the field for Roy, following the cover.
Past the three-quarters in 1:30.3 and going into the final turn, horses were stacked up three and four-wide. Then starting down the stretch, Hall Win began to fade as 10-1 Bonfire Bash and Picard found clearance to mount a charge while Morally Flexible and Kinnder Dangerzone both became contenders racing down the stretch.
Once the dust had cleared, Bonfire Bash won by a head over Morally Flexible with Kinnder Dangerzone a very impressive third by a half-length after his costly break early in the race. The time of the mile was 2:01.3.
The win was the second straight for Bonfire Bash. The six-year-old gelding by Angus Hall took his lifetime mark last week in 2:00.4 at 3R. He is trained by Serge Houde for Michel Carrier, Inc. of Chesapeake City, Maryland. He paid $23 to win while Morally Flexible paid a whopping $84.90 to place.
In the matching Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace, it was newcomer Askmysecretary (pictured above) and driver Pascal Berube who stole the show in a romp.
Fancy Girl (Francis Picard) started off the sixth race on the lead with Askmysecretary and Berube grabbing the two-hole journey.
Fancy Girl cut fractions to the quarter in :28 and the half-mile in :58.1. When Sophies Cam (Stephane Brosseau) started up first-over from sixth place, it flushed Askmysecretary in the backstretch and she vaulted to the lead over Fancy Girl past three-quarters in 1:28.1.
From there, Askymsecretary tore away from the field and opened up in the stretch, winning six lengths in 1:56.4. The race favourite, Kiss Me Bad (Steven Gagnon), was second with Sophies Cam third.
The win was the third of the year for Askmysecretary. She is trained by Yves Tessier for owner Michel Letarte and Jean Allaire. She paid $8.20 to win.
Live harness racing resumes at 3R on Sunday with first race post time at 12 noon.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)