$120,000 Québec-bred finals at Hippodrome 3R
August 9, 2018,from the Québec Jockey Club
Trois-Rivières, QC — The very first race on the program set the tone of action at Hippodrome 3R Thursday evening (Aug. 9), as it took the photo finish camera to declare the winner of the first of four $30,000 finals for the Québec-Bred Series.
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Art De Gagnee was a winner in her $30,000 Québec-Bred Series final on Thursday at Hippodrome 3R.
The first race featured the final for 4- and 5-year-old pacing mares, and it turned out to be exciting battle between two-time former champion HP Sissy and Art De Gagnee.
Favorite Skyfall Sena (Guy Gagnon) was first on the lead, but Stephane Brosseau wanted control of the race with HP Sissy and took over after a :27.3 opening quarter mile.
Then, before the half in :57, driver Pierre Luc Roy came first-over with Art De Gagnee and pushed HP Sissy for control, but could not pass her by as they raced head and head past three-quarters in 1:25.4.
Art De Gagnee then stuck a head out in front at the top of the stretch, but HP Sissy dug in some more for Brosseau. It was not good enough, as Roy kept after Art De Gagnee, who won the photo finish by a head in 1:56. Skyfall Sena was third.
It was a lifetime mark for Art De Gagnee, a 5-year-old mare by Shadow Play owned and trained by Cassandra Lecourt of Ste-Victoire De Sorel. She was bred by Guy Corbeil of Mirabel and paid $15.80 to win.
The sixth-race $30,000 final for trotting mares saw Eau Naturelle and trainer-driver Simon Delisle go right to the front as expected, but a costly break by Lucky Promisses allowed favorite Y S Suzanne and driver Guy Gagnon to get the two-hole trip.
Up the backstretch, Gagnon made his move with Y S Suzanne and came first-over, but could not pass by a determined Eau Naturelle. They raced head and head until mid-stretch, when Y S Suzanne took over and won by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:59.3.
Eau Naturelle was second with Vanilla Star (Yves St Jacques) third.
It was the second Championship Final for Y S Suzanne, who also won at age 2. She is a 5-year-old mare Angus Hall, co-owned and trained by Blake Curran with by Jason Jamieson of Perth, Ont. She paid $2.40 to win.
Wildriverbumblebee made it three straight championships as he ended up being an easy winner in the seventh-race final for pacing horses.
Majo Lou Beka an driver Jonathan Lachance put on a speed show, as they left from the rail and opened up on the field immediately, going to the opening quarter mile in :26.4 and then to the half in :55.1.
Dance With Joe and driver Daniel Dulude had troubles leaving and was in second place, but quit after the half. That was when Guy Gagnon got Wildriverbumblebee on the move on the outside.
They caught up with Major Lou Beka at the three-quarters in 1:24.1, and on the final turn, Wildriverbumblebee took command for Gagnon and went on to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.
HP Patriote (Pascal Berube) was second with C L Sportaction (Brosseau) third.
It was the second straight win for Wildriverbumblebee. The 4-year-old stallion by Sportswriter is trained by Francis Richard and was bred by owner Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Eaton. He paid $3.30 to win.
The last $30,000 final was the eight race for trotting horses, and it was quite a battle from the start.
Both Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) and Kinnder Dangerous (Justin Filion) wanted the lead, and by the opening quarter mile in :27.4, Filion took back into the two-hole with Kinnder Dangerous.
Then on the second turn, Pierre Luc Roy started Capteur De Reve up on the outside, and they started working their way to the front at the half in :58.2. Then, by three-quarters in 1:28, Capteur De Reve was able to collar Holiday Party, as Filion and Kinnder Dangerous tried coming three-wide on the final turn.
As they came down the stretch, Capteur De Reve proved to be the strong horse and went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:59.4. Sometimes When (Guy Gagnon) closed well to be second with Holiday Party third.
It was the second straight Championship for Capteur De Reve, who won last year at age 3. The 4-year-old son of Muscle Mass is trained by Maxime Velaye and was bred by owner Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel. He paid $4.80 to win.
There were three divisions of the third round of the Breeders Cup Series for 3-year-old trotters Tuesday evening.
The first colt division (race two) saw Yankee Photo and driver Pascal Berube take early control from Sir Chopin (Simon Delisle) after the opening quarter mile in :29.4.
From that point on, Yankee Photo wired the field, winning by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:02.1. Sir Chopin was second with Johnnys Revenge (David Pilon) third.
It was the second win this season for Yankee Photo. The Muscles Yankee colt is trained by Gerald Woodberry and was bred by owner Mario Gourgee of Stanbridge East. He paid $3.90 to win.
The second division (race five) belonged to SG Goliath King and driver Sylvain Grenier, who led from start to finish and won by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:03.
SOS Irresistable (Daniel Laflamme) tried coming first-over at the opening quarter and was parked out the entire mile but still held on for second. Nobodynojustice (Guy Gagnon) looped the field three-wide at the three-quarters and around the final turn, but could not keep his momentum going and finished third.
It was the second straight win and third victory on the year for SG Goliath King. The son of Lucky Feel was bred by owner-trainer Grenier of Saint-Rene and paid $3.40 to win.
The lone filly division (race three) saw race favorite Kinnder Prediction (Justin Filion) go off stride at the start, and that left Montanaalaska and driver Guy Gagnon all alone to lead the field with ease and win by 5-3/4 lengths in 2:02.4. Precieuse CC (Claude Beausoleil) was second, with Stand For Justice (Brosseau) third.
It was a lifetime mark and the first career victory for the daughter of Angus Hall. She is trained by Alain Martin for owner Michel Grenier of Gatineau, paying $4.00 to win.
In the Horse Power Challenge Race, featuring Grand Prix auto drivers Andrew Ranger vs L.P. (Louis-Philippe) Dumoulin in double-seater jogging carts, it was Québec native Andrew Ranger with coach Simon Allard, beating Dumoulin and coach Stephane Brosseau by a length in 2:31.2.
Live racing resumes on Tuesday (Aug. 14) with the second round of the Future Stars Pacing Series for 2-year-olds. Also, on Tuesday is the draw for the $200,000 Prix D’Été at H3R on Aug. 19. The post draw will be done live Tuesday in the winner’s circle.
Post time Tuesday is 6:30 p.m.