Undefeated freshman Bernard extended his win streak in the third leg of the Coupe de l'Avenir for two-year-old pacers at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 31.
The Coupe de l'Avenir continued with four $7,500 divisions -- two for the colts and geldings and a pair for the fillies.
Driven by William Roy and trained by Guy Roy, 1-9 favourite Bernard ($2.10) led wire-to-wire through splits of :29.3, 1:00.4 and 1:30.2 on his way to a 1:58.4 victory by 2-1/2 lengths over pocket pursuer White Mountain Sun (Marie-Claude Auger), with A R Espoir (Jean-Paul Rousse) a distant third in the field with one gate breaker and a late scratch. The Sportswriter-Armand Spice gelding is now perfect through five career starts, including three preliminary legs of the Coupe de l'Avenir, for owners Sabrina Pelletier of Sorel-Tracy, Que., and Yvon Genereux of La Bostonais, Que.
Even-money favourite Wicked Buddy Buck ($4) broke his maiden in the other division for the colts and geldings, taking command from inside leaver Reve (Simon Delisle) at the :29.1 quarter mark and setting middle splits of :59.2 and 1:30.1 en route to the 1:59.3 victory. The seven-time starter won by 2-3/4 lengths over Reve, with round two winner Dark Flame (William Roy) advancing first-over to show. Trainer Mario Patry shares ownership of the McWicked-Fancy Pants Sandy colt with Marko & Aline Ferguson of St-Theodore D'Acton, Que.
Cattlekiss ($2.10) continued to dominate the fillies, pushing her combined winning margin through the first three preliminary legs to 32-1/2 lengths for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon. Sent off as the 1-9 bettors' choice, the Cattlewash-Kiss Baby Kiss filly posted her biggest margin yet in the third leg, with a 14-length romp in 1:57.3. She set fractions of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:29.3 before leaving her five foes behind in a :28 final-quarter sprint. Snud Phoenix (Stephane Brosseau) was the best of the rest in second, with Delicious Speed (Jessica Turenne) rounding out the top three finish order. Cattlekiss is now four-for-six lifetime for owner Ecuries Guy Gagnon Inc. of Gatineau, Que.
Coming off a successful career debut a week ago in the series, Chezmatante Du Lac ($2.10) was the 1-9 favourite in the other filly division with co-breeder Pierre-Luc Roy in the driver's seat this time and she prevailed off a pocket trip. After tracking race leader BM Sunshine Bullet (Denis St. Pierre) through fractions of :30.1, 1:02.1 and 1:33.1, she won a final quarter duel over the pacesetter by 1-1/4 lengths in a new mark of 2:03.2. Victoria Ray (David Pilon) followed two lengths behind in third. Trained by Marc-Andre Simoneau, the undefeated Cattlewash-Signet filly is owned by Louis-Philippe Roy Racing and Groupe Chezmatante Du Lac of Campbellville, Ont., Jean Allaire of Montreal, Que., and Michel Letarte of Boucherville, Que.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following links: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(Standardbred Canada; photo of Bernard winning on Aug. 31)