Hippodrome 3R hosted five divisions of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old Quebec-bred pacers and trotters on Sunday, Aug. 25.
This was the third and final preliminary round in the series. The top eight point earners in each category will return on Super Sunday, Sept. 8, for their four $55,000 finals.
The fastest of the five divisions was the seventh race $10,000 pace for two-year-old colts that had three lead changes early as Changement Detemps (Stephane Brosseau) led first with race favourite The Magic Moment and driver Jonathan Lachance in the pocket seat in :29.4 to the first quarter. Then HP Bellissimo (Robert Shepherd) quickly moved first-over to take command. But right at the half-mile in :59.3, The Magic Moment moved first-over and it took him until the backstretch to clear to the lead before the three-quarters in 1:29.3. No one could catch The Magic Moment from there as he won by two lengths in 1:59.3 over HP Bellissimo with Kos Im Doc (Marie-Claude Auger) back in third.
The winning time was a new lifetime mark for The Magic Moment, who is two-for-four. The homebred Control The Moment-Wind River Cat colt is trained by Francis Guillemette for Gestion A & a Belander Inc of Shawinigan, Que. He paid $2.50 to win.
In the first $7,500 division of the series for two-year-old pacing fillies, Mirabel Enfete and driver Stephane Brosseau led from start to finish, winning with ease by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:00.3. The pocket-sitting race favourite, Myvaliam (William Roy), was second with Wild River Raccoon (David Pilon) third. The race fractions went in :29, 1:00.1 and 1:31.2 with a :29.1 final frame.
It was the maiden win for Mirabel Enfete in her third lifetime start. The Leader Bayama-Elgoe miss is trained by Maxime Velaye for breeder/owner Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, Que. She paid $6.70 to win as the 2-1 third choice.
In the second division for the pacing fillies, Silver Majesty (pictured above) and driver Denis St. Pierre worked their way to the lead over HP Top Modele (Stephane Brosseau), but then came the race favourite, Justine Ray (Pascal Berube), and she cleared to the lead after a :29 first quarter. Justine Ray continued to lead to the half-mile in 1:00 and the three-quarters in 1:30.4 as she was up by three lengths going into the final turn. With a burst of speed, Silver Majesty caught up to Justine Ray and then, after a torrid stretch battle, Silver Majesty came on to win by a neck in 2:00. HP Top Modele finished 6-1/2 lengths behind in third.
The win was the third straight for Silver Majesty and a career-best in six starts. The daughter of All Bets Off-Acaena De Chakrika is trained by Jean-Francois Maguire, who has had the filly just a month for the Silver Stables and Marie Michelle Gaboury of Venise-En-Quebec, Que. She paid $4.60 to win as the second choice.
The trotters were featured in two $10,000 divisions of the Future Stars Series with the colts up first.
Despite some early breakers, Mass Speed was able to out-trot Muscle Du Haras (Marie-Claude Auger) to the early lead for driver Denis St. Pierre. Mass Speed then held the field at bay as he led the entire one-mile race, setting fractions of :30.1, 1:01.2 and 1:32.2 before winning by 4-3/4 lengths in 2:03.3. Muscle Du Haras was second with Silver Porsche (Guy Gagnon) the best of the rest.
Mass Speed took a new mark with his second win in just four starts. The homebred Muscle Mass-Missionoftheheart gelding is owned and trained by Michel Allard of Saint-Esprit, Que. He paid $7.80 to win as the second choice.
In the $10,000 division for the trotting fillies, Chic Choc Rose (Marie-Claude Auger) saw her unbeaten streak of three straight wins come to an end when Miche Charm triumphed for driver Guy Gagnon.
Going to the lead from post two, Miche Charm carved out fractions of :30.4, 1:02.2 and 1:33.1 with the 1-5 favourite Chic Choc Rose sitting the two-hole trip until the top of the stretch. Chic Choc Rose started to come after Miche Charm, but could not gain any ground in the stretch as Miche Charm went on to win by two lengths in 2:04.4. Chic Choc Rose held for second with Soleo (Stephane Brosseau) third.
The win was second (consecutive) in four starts for Miche Charm, who is trained by Jeremy Marcotte, co-owner with Denis Marcotte of Notre-Dame De La Paix, Que. The Muscle Mass-Exquisite Charm filly paid $9.80 to win as the second favourite.
On Saturday, the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit held races at Ayer's Cliff and David Pilon had a driver/trainer triple.
Live harness racing resumes at 3R next Friday afternoon with first post at 4 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)