Taylor Desbi, Wicked Discovery and Major Battle started the eighth race at Hippodrome 3R on Thursday, July 9 in that order from the inside out, and on level terms — and that’s how they finished.
The inside three starters all passed the odds-on favourite in the stretch and reached the finish line simultaneously in the $4,250 pace for a triple dead heat.
Rail-sitter Taylor Desbi, driven by Pascal Berube, went forward for a pocket seat behind The Turning Point (Stephane Brosseau), while Wicked Discovery, with Jessica Turenne aboard from post two, and three-hole starter Major Battle, piloted by Steeven Genois, slid back to fourth and fifth, respectively. Two parts of the dead-heating trio started the outer flow past the :28.1 opening panel, with Wicked Discovery grinding through :58.4 and 1:28.2 middle fractions while towing along the second-over Major Battle.
Major Battle swung three-high on the final turn, while Taylor Desbi pursued the pylon route and Wicked Discovery fought on first-over as all three charged after favourite The Turning Point. Taylor Desbi and Wicked Discovery were the first to sprint past the pacesetter, with Major Battle reaching up late to join them on the wire. Two minutes later, “triple égalité” was the call from Hippodrome 3R announcer Guy Lafontaine — a three-way dead heat.
Taylor Desbi’s debut in Quebec resulted in a unique maiden win photo for owner Sylvain Descheneaux of Sorel-Tracy, Que. The three-year-old Cattlewash-Sand Gesture filly, who debuted in January, scored her first win in 16 career starts as she shipped in from Ontario. The Jacques Dupont trainee has now earned $25,447. She paid $3.20 to win.
Wicked Discovery improved to three-for-21 this year for trainer Yannick Marquis of Mascouche, Que., who shares ownership with Nicole Gagnon of Jonquiere, Que. The five-year-old daughter of Mcwicked-Pan Voyage is now 20-for-93 lifetime with $86,394 in earnings. She returned the highest price of the three winners with a $7.80 payout — though likely still underwhelming to those who held correct win tickets on a 13-1 shot.
Major Battle took her third win this year from 19 starts, and her first in Quebec since owners Sylvain Tremblay and Emma Bouchard of Metabetchouan, Que. acquired the mare and relocated her from New York in May. Tremblay trains the daughter of Art Major-Savhorsrideacowboy, who has won 25 of her 169 starts and earned $384,855. Her backers received $5.50 for $2.
The harness racing rarity was accompanied by a $7,000 Preferred Trot in headlining the card, and Prince Of Sussex scored as the favourite while stepping up to the top ranks after back-to-back wins. From post five, he fired out alongside post-four starter Kenogami Coco (Marie-Claude Auger), who strung out the gelding through the first turn before releasing him to the lead in a :28.1 opening quarter. Francis Picard then grabbed a breather for Prince Of Sussex to the half in :59, activating the leader again nearing three-quarters in 1:29.1 as Mass Speed (Denis St. Pierre) loomed first-over and Chic Choc Rose (Pascal Berube) doubled the pressure with a three-wide move. Prince Of Sussex hit high gear and brushed off the outside threats turning for home, then fended off Kenogami Coco under wraps to win by a measured half-length in 1:59. Chic Choc Rose finished third.
Prince Of Sussex has won three straight starts for trainer Serge Houde to raise his seasonal record to three-for-six. Marc Lemay of Lac-Beauport, Que. owns the seven-year-old son of Creatine-Pana Colada, a 35-time winner with $281,371 banked from 151 starts. The win price was $3.50.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada)