Magic Liam may have thought he cast a spell to make his opponents disappear, as the undefeated gelding raced all alone to a 30-length win in the lone $10,000 Coupe de L’Avenir dash for two-year-old trotting males at Hippodrome 3R on Friday, Aug. 29.
With Guy Gagnon along for the ride, Magic Liam quickly separated from his three foes in the non-betting event before the main card. He was up by nine lengths at the quarter in :30.2, 27 at the half in 1:03, 29 at three-quarters in 1:34.3, and added another length as he stopped the clock in 2:05.4. Mustang Shillow (Pascal Berube) finished second, 24 lengths ahead of Pier Ho Fathernson (Steve Gagnon) in third. Magic Liam is perfect in four starts and has earned $17,900 for Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc. and Stephanie and Frederic Gagnon of Gatineau, Que. Gagnon trains the Muscle Mass-American Gal K gelding.
On the main card, Gagnon also won the first of two $7,500 splits of the Coupe de L’Avenir for rookie trotting fillies. He gave his trainee, Abby Rose Men ($2.20), a pocket trip through :31.1 and 1:03.2 fractions before pulling her to go after pacesetter Trixie Charm (Berube) approaching three-quarters in 1:34.3. The leaders sparred evenly around the last turn, but Trixie Charm broke stride at the top of the stretch, leaving Abby Rose Men to coast to a 4-1/2-length victory in 2:05.3. Trixie Charm finished second, followed by Lindasdream (William Roy). Abby Rose Men has won twice, both in the Coupe de L’Avenir, in four career starts and has earned $10,825 . The Muscle Mass-Cersei Hanover filly is owned by Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc., 9129 9560 Quebec Inc. of Mirabel, Que., and Chantal Gravel of Saint-Cyrille-De-Wendover, Que.
Silver Pride ($2.10) took the other division in 2:07 with Robert Shepherd at the lines. After sitting the pocket through :31.3 and 1:03.1 panels, she went to the lead before three-quarters in 1:35.1 and came home a 1-1/4-length winner over Sos Unstoppable (Sylvain Grenier). Southriver Dahlia (Stephane Brosseau) was placed third following the disqualification of Double Vie (Simon Deslisle) for failing to lose ground while on a break. The winning Alarm Detector-Hallywood Hills filly is now two-for-four with $10,015 in earnings for trainer Jean-Francois Maguire and owner Silver Stables of Venise-En-Quebec, Que.
To view Friday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada)