Three-year-old pacers were in the limelight at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (Aug. 20) afternoon with four divisions of the third and final preliminary round of the Breeders Trophy Series.
The top eight point-earners will return to 3R for Super Sunday on Sept. 10 when all eight championship finals will be held.
Each of the four divisions on Sunday raced for a purse of $7,500.
Ladycorona and driver Pascal Berube notched their fifth straight win, scoring a major romp in the sixth race and second division of the series for the pacing fillies.
Ice Cream (Francis Picard) was first on the lead with Mach N Cheddar (David Pilon) sitting the pocket seat, but then driver Pascal Berube tipped the 1-9 race favourite, Ladycorona, to the outside. The Bettors Delight filly took over the lead after a :27.2 first quarter. She went by the half in :57.1 when Pilon took Mach N Cheddar first-over with YS Poisson Davrl (Stephane Brosseau) following her cover. But once in the backstretch, Berube let Ladycorona have her way and she took off going by the three-quarters in 1:27.1. Down the stretch, Ladycorona made it a romp, winning by 10-1/2 lengths in 1:55.4. Mach N Cheddar was second with Godiva Ice Cream third.
The win was the seventh of the year for Ladycorona. She is trained by Yves Tessier for owner and breeder Sotirios Anastasopoulos of Sainte-Therese, Que. She paid $2.10 to win.
YS Sensationalcity and driver Jocelyn Gendron brought an end to Pocahontas Du Lac’s two-race winning streak in the third race, first division for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Leaving from post one, Gendron sent YS Sensationalcity right to the front with Pocahontas Du Lac and driver Pierre-Luc Roy having to settle for the pocket spot. YS Sensationalcity went to the opening quarter in :28.3 and with no one challenging, went to the half mile in :59.2. Irish Mary (Berube) started up first-over and looked to take on YS Sensationalcity, but could not keep up the pace to the three-quarters in 1:28.3. Off the final turn, Roy came after YS Sensationalcity with Pocahontas Du Lac, but this time, YS Sensationalcity was ready for the challenge as she outpaced Pocahontas Du Lac to the wire, winning by one length in 1:57.3. Make Bet SBG (Stephane Brosseau) was third.
After four straight second-place finishes, YS Sensationalcity notched her fourth win of the season. The Keystone Velocity filly is trained and owned by Michel Allard along with Kapildeo Singh. She paid $4.50 to win.
The fifth race was the first division of the series for the pacing colts and geldings and from start to finish the race belonged to Attitude and driver Stephanie Brosseau.
They left right out of the gate with race favourite Kansas Panic (Roy) getting the pocket trip. Attitude led to the first quarter in :28.4 and through to the half in :58.3. In the backstretch, Bets Beach (Berube) went first-over and raced up to the leaders, locking Kansas Panic in the pocket past the three-quarters in 1:28. Around the final turn, Attitude controlled the pace, keeping Kansas Panic locked in with Bets Beach on the outside until the top of the stretch when Attitude sprinted home an easy winner by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.4. Bets Beach was third.
The time of the mile was a new lifetime mark for Attitude. The Leader Bayama gelding recorded his fourth win of the season for trainer Maxime Velaye. Attitude was bred and is owned by Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, Que. He paid $5.90 to win.
In the ninth race and second division of the series for the colts and geldings, Pantome En Joie (Stephane Brosseau), the 1-5 race favourite, worked his way to the lead by the first quarter in :27.3 over a stubborn Maximus GB (Pilon).
With Pantome En Joie leading to the half-mile in :58.1, Little Diamond and driver Jocelyn Gendron went first-over with Kingston Panic (Roy) second over. Little Diamond was relentless battling with Fantome En Joie through the three-quarters in 1:27.1. Then, Kingston Panic joined the fray three-wide around the final turn. They were three-across as they started down the stretch and Little Diamond proved to be the best, just holding off Kingston Panic to win by a half-length in 1:57.1. Fantome En Joie was third.
The time of the mile was a lifetime mark and the first win in 11 starts this season for Little Diamond. The Sportswriter colt is trained by Guy Roy for breeder Richard Desrosiers and co-owner Andre Desrochers. He paid $9.50 to win.
It is with great sadness that the Quebec Jockey Club learned Sunday morning the sudden death of horseman and industry leader Brian Paquet, who may be certainly considered a figure emblematic of horse racing in Quebec. He was 78. A longtime owner and breeder, Mr. Paquet was instrumental as a director of the Quebec Jockey Club in helping get Hippodrome 3R back racing again. During his lifetime, Mr. Paquet bred, owned and raced hundreds of Standardbred trotters and pacers. Track management held a special moment of silence before the fifth race in his memory.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)