Longshots seemed to be the rule of the day at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday afternoon for the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series for two-year-old trotters and pacers.
The series features three weeks of preliminary rounds of competition with each division racing for a purse of $7,500. The top eight point earners after the preliminary rounds will return for the $55,000 finals in each class on Sunday, September 7. Also on that day will be the $65,000 finals for the three-year-olds.
Mother Nature did not cooperate Sunday as intermittent rain storms gave way to sunshine sporadically throughout the racing card.
The two-year-old trotting fillies provided longshot winners in both their divisions.
The first race saw SOS Harddrive and driver Pascal Berube take no prisoners as they led from start to finish by one length in 2:06.4. The daughter of Tarus Dream is undefeated in three starts and her clocking was a lifetime mark for trainer Jean Teller and owner/breeder Les Ecuries SOS Bedford, Inc. of Stanbridge Station, Que. Notrouble Dechafra (Stephane Brosseau) was second with C L Magic Road (Marie Auger) third.
Overlooked by the betting public, SOS Harddrive went off at odds of 11-1 and paid $24.10 to win.
The fifth race, second division was captured by 13-1 Chamane and driver Marie Auger with an impressive three-wide move on the final turn and then out-trotted the field home to win by one and one-half lengths in 2:08.3.
D Espoir (Stephane Brosseau) was the race favourite and raced that way, going right to the early lead with Sunrise Linda (Yves Filion) sitting the pocket trip. Double Chance (Serge Nadeau) came first-over at the half-mile marker and that gave Chamane perfect second-over cover to tip three-wide from after the three-quarters en route to her maiden victory.
Sired by Majestic Son, Chamane is trained by Eric Valiquette for owner/breeder Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel, Que. She paid $29.60 to win.
The third longshot winner in the series came in the third race, the first division for two-year-old pacing colts. Western Bayama and trainer/driver Yves Filion sat in fourth place throughout the mile as HO Bushido Dragjet (Stephane Brosseau) cut the mile and Classic Breeze (Pascal Berube) sat the pocket trip.
Then as the field came around the final turn, Filion made his move with Western Bayama and the son of Lis Mara came on with a burst of speed to win by one length over late closing T S Joe (Jocelyn Gendron) with HP Bushido Dragjet third.
The time of the race was a lifetime mark of 1:59 in just the second career start for Western Bayama, who was bred and is owned by Filion’s Bayama Farms. Sent off at odds of 10-1, he paid $22.90 to win.
The sixth race, second colt division saw race favourite Clinton Panic and driver/trainer Filion make it a driver/trainer double on the day as they were able to led from start to finish for a one length triumph in 2:03.1 in a driving rain storm.
Mr Sunshine Boy (Pascal Berube) inherited the pocket-trip when Rocky Beach (Marie Auger) tried a first-over move in vain at the half-mile marker as Mr Sunshine Boy finished second with Rocky Beach third.
It was the maiden win in two starts for Clinton Panic, a son of Major In Art, who paid $9.90 to win. He was bred and is owned by Brian Paquet of Quebec, Que.
The two-year-old pacing fillies competed in the second and fourth races. The first division saw Kinnder Elegance and driver Jocelyn Gendron hold the field at bay as the daughter of Allamerican Native led by three to four lengths the entire mile, winning by two and one-quarter lengths in 2:00.3.
The pocket-sitting Voodoo Charm (Yves Filion) was second with Godiva Bella Oya (Mario Charron) third. The victory was the first for Kinnder Elegance, who paid $2.30 to win for trainer/owner/breeder Dentiza Petrova of Les Cedres, Que.
After trading the early lead control with Miss Bro, Anna Santanna and driver Auger stayed in command after the opening quarter-mile and won with ease by two and three-quarter lengths in 2:00.4. Miss Bro (Stephane Brosseau) was second with HP Rubis Joyce (Mario Charron) third.
Sired by Santanna Blue Chip, Anna Santanna earned her maiden victory after four starts. She paid $3.90 to win. The filly is trained and owned by Auger of Trois-Rivieres, Que.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from QJC)