With an inside-post advantage, Mickeymaksomespeed topped his competition in a $7,500 division for the second preliminary of the Trophee des Eleveurs at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (Aug. 23).
The bettors let Mickeymaksomespeed go off at 7-2, well behind Whitecookie (4-5 favourite) and Eclat De Rire (6-5), and “Mickey” rewarded his faithful with a 1:55 victory. Driver Steeven Genois hustled him right to the front, getting a soft :57.4 half after a :28 opener. He met the long first-over bid of Whitecookie past the 1:26.3 three-quarters, but then drew clear by two-and-a-quarter lengths at the end over second-over Eclat De Rire, who photoed My Bettors Del, a length ahead of the chalk.
Unraced at two, Mickeymakesomespeed is making up for lost time at three, with seven wins in only eight starts for trainer-owner Michel Allard.
The other division of the Trophee des Eleveurs leg produced a 1:55.4 lifetime-fastest victory for the Hes Watching gelding Retour Au Jeu despite starting from post 7. Retour Au Jeu was used very hard getting the lead while wide a long way in the :26.4 opener, but he still had the strength to keep the lead through middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:25.3 while being hounded by first-over HP I Got Toplay. He resisted that opponent by three-quarter lengths to score his fourth win from his last five starts for trainer Maxime Valaye. Stephane Gendron drove the winner for owner Guy Corbeil.
There were also two $7,500 divisions of second round “Eleveur” competition for the sophomore pacing fillies. Last year's divisional champion Acaena De Chakrika confirmed herself as the horse to beat in this section. The daughter of Sunshine Beach sat in the pocket for driver Stephane Brosseau, then moved out and overhauled the resilient Zar E Ip by a half-length while lowering her mark to 1:56.4. Acaena De Chakrika went over $50,000 in lifetime earnings with the win for trainer Dany Fontaine and owner Diane Lepine.
The other filly winner in the provincial-bred competition was the 1-9 favourite Lotus Sena, third to Acaena De Chakrika and Zar E Ip in her first leg race, winning in 1:58. The Windfall Blue Chip miss was in control of the proceedings throughout for driver Stephane Gendron and trainer-owner Serge Nadeau.
The veteran Badlands Hanover gelding Hooter Shooter got away sixth among seven in the $4,500 Preferred Handicap Pace, but Stephane Brosseau maneuvered him out into the cover flow, and the game pacer kept on coming and coming to catch pacesetter Marcasso at the end of a 1:56 mile. A 14-time visitor to the winner's circle over the last two campaigns, Hooter Shooter is trained by his owner Marc Andre Simoneau.
(with files from Quebec Jockey Club)
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.