Smithnwesn Phoenix earned her second victory in the Coupe de l'Avenir as the Quebec-bred stakes series for two-year-old pacers continued on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 30 at Hippodrome 3R.
Smithnwesn Phoenix lowered her lifetime mark to 1:58 flat winning the $10,000 division for fillies with Pascal Berube aboard this time for trainer Dominic Gladu.
Berube and the quick-leaving filly from post four gave way to the oncoming Ruby Red (Marie-Claude Auger) at the quarter pole in :28.2 then rode the pocket through a half in :58. As Denises Aura (William Roy) advanced to the top down the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:28, Berube made his move with 1-5 favourite Smithnwesn Phoenix to confront the new leader as they turned for home and powered 1-3/4 lengths clear in the stretch. Denises Aura settled for second while Ruby Red finished back in third.
Also winner in her career debut in the July 26 leg of the series, Smithnwesn Phoenix earned a pair of runner-up finishes in between her successful starts and has banked $15,000 through her first four races. The daughter of Betting Line out of Giggle Hanover is a homebred for Quebec owners Les Ecuries Phoenix of Saint Liguori, Francois Dupuis of Laval and Serge Leonard of St-Charles-Borromee.
Driven by Luc-Pierre Roy and trained by Marc-Andre Simoneau, Pinocchio Du Lac broke his maiden in the $10,000 colt division with a 1:59.3 victory following back-to-back runner-up finishes in earlier preliminary legs.
After racing in third through the first half in 1:01, Roy sent 1-5 favourite Pinocchio Du Lac first-up and, as pocket-sitter Evenin Of Rock (Jonathan Lapointe) broke stride in the clubhouse turn and was taken to the safety lane, he landed in the deuce with three lengths to make up on the pacesetting Best Moment (Francis Picard) heading by three-quarters in 1:29.3. Pinocchio Du Lac was pointed to the top and reeled in Best Moment in the stretch to win by 1-1/2 lengths. Victorious Sun (Antoine Desrochers) finished third.
The All Bets Off-Sheissuchadream colt is owned by Louis-Philippe Roy Racing of Campbellville, Ont., Jean Allaire of Montreal Que., Michel Letarte of Boucherville, Que., and Groupe Pinocchio Du Lac of Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Que. The six-time starter has earned $13,820 so far in his career.
Later in the final race of the day, Luc-Pierre Roy teamed up with Dominic Gladu and Smithnwesn Phoenix's half brother Winchester Phoenix for a win in 1:56.2, defeating favourite Bets Beach by 2-1/2 lengths in a $5,000 conditioned pace. It was the second time the siblings were winners on the same race card. A career winner of more than $130,000, the four-year-old son of Bettors Delight also won his last appearance at 3R in the Preferred Handicap on July 26 and, like his sibling, scored his first ever career win in the Coupe de l'Avenir back in July 2024.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada)