Kaporal and HP Momentum, arguably the two top contenders in the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, locked horns once again Sunday (August 29) in the final leg of the series at the Hippodrome 3R.
And the outcome was nearly the same as when the two met for the first time, Kaporal proved to be much the best.
In the $8,000 division (Race 2), Kaporal and driver Stephane Gendron took the early lead away from Le Massif (Simon Delisle) by the opening quarter in :28.
During the second panel, Richie Alpha (Pascal Berube) moved to the outside from sixth-place and flushed HP Momentum (Jocelyn Gendron) first-over before the half-mile was reached in :59.1.
HP Momentum then came after Kaporal and those two went head-to-head to the three-quarters in 1:28.2. The dogfight would continue around the final turn and down the stretch, but Kaporal proved to be too tough again, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.3. HP Momentum was second with Le Massif third.
Trained by Francis Richard, Kaporal is a gelded son of Sunshine Beach, co-owned by Ecurie Francis Richard Inc., Ferme Auclair and Jean-Christophe Auclair. The win was his second straight and fastest yet from four starts.
He paid $4.40 to win as the wagering favourite.
Two races later, the Future Stars Series division for the pacing fillies was just as exciting as the colt division.
HP Mary Sunshine (Pascal Berube) was first on the lead with Streakayococo (Samuel Fillion) getting the pocket seat to the opening quarter in :29.3. Right away, driver Louis-Philippe Roy came first-over with the 1-5 favourite, Sunjet Ray.
Past the half in :59.3, Sunjet Ray stretched out HP Mary Sunshine and was then able to drop into the two-hole. Amaya (Francis Picard) then came first-over and Fillion waited and then followed second-over with Streakayococo to the three-quarters in 1:30.3.
On the final turn, Sunjet Ray was blocked with pace in the two-hole and Fillion tipped Streakayococo three-wide. HP Mary Sunshine still led coming down the stretch but could not hold off the late charge of Streakayococo, who went on to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:00.4. Sunjet Ray found room late in the stretch to finish second with HP Mary Sunshine third.
The win was the second straight in the series for three-time starter Streakayococo, a daughter of Artspeak, trained by Dany Fontaine and owned by breeder Raymond Primeau and Marc Andre Cyr.
She paid $6.30 to win.
After today’s final leg, the top eight point-earners in the series will return for Super Sunday at H3R, September 12, when the track will host all eight finals. Each of the Breeders Trophy Series finals for the three-year-olds will have a purse of $60,000 and the Future Stars Series finals for the two-year-olds will have each have a purse of $50,000.
With more than $500,000 in total purses on the card, Super Sunday is the richest day of horse racing in Quebec.
The fastest mile of the day came in the $5,500 Preferred Handicap Pace, the eighth race, as D Gs De Vito (Jonathan Lachance) was able to grind it out first-over against race favourite Littlebitaswagger (Louis-Philippe Roy) and win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.1. The five-year-old Sportswriter gelding is trained by Guylaine Fortin for owner/breeder Daniel Surprenant. He paid $7.10 to win.
In the $5,500 Mares Preferred Handicap Pace, Kiss Me Bad ($3.60) and owner/trainer/driver Steven Gagnon swept three-wide in the backstretch, then four-wide on the final turn before scooting away for a 1:56 triumph by 1-1/2 lengths.
Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau had a driving double and Dany Fontaine had a training double. With no more Friday racing, the next live race card will be next Sunday. First-race post time at 12:10 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)