Driver Jean Francois Maguire had not won a race for 34 months, and the two-year-old trotting filly Mag N Lady had never won before, but the two looked like regular, no-nonsense pros in winning the $10,000 filly division of her Coupe de L’Avenir’s first preliminary leg during the Friday twilight card at Hippodrome 3R.
Maguire, the filly’s trainer and co-owner with Julie Malenfant and Richard Legris and a veteran horseman who does not compete that much these days, wasted no time in hustling the daughter of Royalty For Life-Ulittleripper to the top from the outside post in the field of four. She set fractions of :29.3, 1:00.2 and 1:31.1 en route to an 8-1/2 length score in 2:02, not far off the 3R track record of 2:01.1, co-held by Meganou and Claudi P V. Twice second and once third in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots program, Mag N Lady has already bankrolled nearly $20,000.
It was apparent that a son of Angus Hall was going to win the $10,000 L’Avenir’s colt division, but a hot stretch battle revealed that it was Hall Win, a colt out of the mare Beer Maggs, who would emerge first by three-quarters of a length over Incredible Hall, taking a maiden mark of 2:05.2 in just his second lifetime start. The youngster is trained and was driven by Kevin Maguire for Ecuries Maguire Inc.
Team Maguire is also behind the Lucky Fool gelding Sir Chopin, who also took the wire-to-wire route in winning a $4,500 Preferred Handicap Trot in 1:59. Fractions of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:28.4 preceded Sir Chopin winning by a length over favoured Precieuse CC, who was placed back to last for going inside the pylons, elevating Lucky Promesses to the second spot.
The Dragon Again mare Twice An Angel came out of third nearing the three-quarters and caught pacesetting Wild River Swan by a length in taking the $4500 Preferred Handicap Pace for fillies and mares in 1:57.1. Stephane Gendron was in the sulky behind the winner of $206,536 for trainer Marc Andre Simoneau and owners Charles and Maxim Gaudreault.
Finally, an owner with the name “Determination” is a good match with a horse who did not race at two and three, but is coming into his own at age four, having won his first six career starts. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Enavant (which means “onward” in French) came onward from last early to stay undefeated and take a $3,500 event in 1:54.3 – the fastest mile of the year at Hippodrome 3R. Driven by Stephane Gendron for trainer Maxime Velaye, Enavant continues to climb the class ladder for Determination (the racing name of Serge Godin), who sold a part of the emerging star to Guy Corbeil earlier this year.
FINISHING LINES – Saturday, the Hippodrome will stage the final of four Regional Circuit events it is hosting this year with the circuit affected by COVID-19. On Sunday, there will be two $7,500 divisions for both sexes of three-year-old pacers in the second preliminary of the Trophee des Eleveurs competition.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)