Wild River Swan and driver Jonathan Lachance were the upset winners at odds of 9-1 in the $5,000 Preferred Pace for fillies and mares in a wild affair from the start at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday, Sept. 26.
Jans Legacy (Jocelyn Gendron) was the first on the lead in the fifth race with Fern Hill Bella (Carol Voyer) grabbing the two-hole spot. Meanwhile, driver Pascal Berube and Platine Alpha were on the outside but could not clear Jans Legacy by the opening quarter-mile in :28.1.
Still parked out first-over at the half-mile in :57.4, Platine Alpha was hanging tough on the outside as Jans Legacy continued to cut the mile.
As the field reached the backstretch, Steven Gagnon came three-wide with Kiss Me Bad and that flushed a second-over Wild River Swan and Lachance to swing out three-wide with both horses hoping to clear by Platine Alpha.
But the lone three-year-old in the race was not done yet as they reached the three-quarters in 1:27.3, still with four horses abreast on the final turn.
By the top of the stretch, Platine Alpha finally had enough, Wild River Swan had collared Jans Legacy and then down the stretch was able to hold off Kiss Me Bad to win by one length in 1:58. Jans Legacy was third.
Wild River Swan paid $20.90 in winning for the second time this year. The eight-year-old mare by Sportswriter is owned and trained by Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Eaton, Que.
In the ninth race $5,500 Preferred Handicap Pace, race favourite Dreydl Hanover and driver Pascal Berube went out to the early lead with Farmers Tan (Carol Voyer) in the pocket seat to the opening quarter in :27.3.
A pesky Maracasso and driver Steven Gagnon were also moving first-over but could not get by Dreydl Hanover by the half-mile in :57.1. D Gs De Vito (Jonathan Lachance) still decided to follow the first-over cover.
In the backstretch, Lachance decided to make his move three-wide by the three-quarters in 1:26.3 and was able to clear by Maracasso and went right after Dreydl Hanover.
D Gs De Vito had all the momentum in his favour as he went on to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:56.2 with Hooter Shooter (Samuel Fillion) closing for second and Dreydl Hanover finishing third.
A five-year-old gelded son of Sportswriter, D Gs De Vito earned his seventh win on the year from 18 starts for trainer Guylaine Fortin and owner/breeder Daniel Surprenant of Saint-Valentin, Que. He paid $5.80 to win.
In the fourth race pace, two two-year-olds, race favourite Ritchie Alpha (Pascal Berube) and 21-1 long shot Le Massif (Steeve Genois) battled neck and neck to the wire. It took the photo finish camera to declare Le Massif the winner by a nose in 2:00. The Shanghai Phil colt, trained by Melanie Boulianne, paid $44.50 for the maiden-breaking win.
Track Notes: Both Jonathan Lachance and Samuel Fillion had driving doubles while Louis-Philippe Turcotte had a training double. Next Sunday, the Quebec Jockey Club and Standardbred Canada will host the annual Lucien Bombardier Pace for two-year-old fillies with an estimated purse at $30,000. Post time on Sunday is 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)