It took the photo finish camera to declare Babidibou the winner over Frido PV by a nose in the third leg of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old trotters at Hippodrome 3R Friday (Sept. 11).
The top eight point earners in the series will now return on Sunday, September 27 for the $65,000 finals and that means another rematch between Babidibou and Frido PV.
The first race was the colt division of the series for a purse of $10,000 and as expected it was Frido PV and trainer-driver Yves St Jacques shooting to the early lead by the opening quarter mile in :30. Avoiding breaking horses, Babidibou and driver Stephane Gendron were able to move into second place and follow the live cover as Frido PV led past the half mile in an easy 1:01.2.
Down the backstretch Tuscan Titan (Stephane Brosseau) challenged first-over past the three-quarters in 1:31.2 before going off-stride. On the final turn Gendron came out with Babidibou and they hooked up again Frido PV in a stride-for-stride race to the wire with Babidibou getting up by a nose in the final surge at the wire. The time of the race was 2:00. M Rosaire DLV (Martin Gingras) was third.
For Frido PV it was the second time the son of Muscle Mass has lost a photo finish to Babidibou.
Babidibou, the 2019 Quebec Champion, won his second straight for his fourth victory of the year. The gelded son of Royalty For Life is trained by Maxime Velaye and co-owned by Isidore Russo of Montreal and Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. He paid $2.60 to win.
There was a full field of nine three-year-old trotting fillies in the $10,000 fifth race but none could hold a candle to Kinnder High Class, who pulled away from the field at the three-quarters to win by seven and one-half lengths.
The started off with a fast pace as 50-1 Muscle Fern Jacky (Francis Picard) flew out of post eight to take the early lead and parked out a stubborn 99-1 Judys Program (Martin Gingras) to the first quarter mile in :28.3.
As they came to the half mile in :59.4, Kinnder High Class with Pierre Luc Roy started up first-over with Miss Melodie (Stephane Gendron) grabbing the second-over cover.
Down the backstretch driver Richard Simard took Lindas Pride three-wide and then at the three-quarters in 1:30.1, Roy asked Kinnder High Class for more and she responded with a burst of speed, winning in a romp in 1:59.4. Lindas Pride was second with HP Starlette (Stephane Brosseau) third.
It was a lifetime mark for Kinnder High Class. The Royalty For Life filly notched her fifth win in eight starts this year for trainer, owner and breeder, Denitza Petrova of Melbourne. She paid just $2.10 to win.
Track Notes: The 3R oval was in peak condition Friday as five of the eight race winners registered lifetime marks. Pierre Luc Roy led all horse people with a driving double. Live harness racing resumes at 3R on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with an 11-race program and featured will be the final leg of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies. There are two $10,000 divisions.
To view the results from the Friday card, click the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)