from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (Oct. 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Hippodrome 3R, Harrah’s Philadelphia and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Maximuscle returns to winning ways at 3R

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — With patience at the start of the race and then getting live outside cover, Maximuscle and driver Mario Charron returned to their winning ways Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R, winning the featured trot.

Photodesk.ca photo

Maximuscle was a winner in the Sunday feature at Hippodrome 3R.

Having made breaks in three of his last four starts when getting behind the starting gate, driver Mario Charron took his time with Maximuscle at the start of the sixth race feature. He kept the champion 4-year-old son of Angus Hall off the starting gate by 20 yards and once the gate pulled away from the field, Maximuscle closed the gap and got away in fifth place.

The race action was fierce from the start as R Rkadabra (Steeven Genois) went to the lead but would not allow Beer Maggs (Kevin Maguire) to get to the front and the two sped in a dogfight to the opening quarter in a blistering :27.4 before Maguire took Beer Maggs into the second spot on the rail.

There was no rest on the front end for R Rkadabra as Caroluzzo (Stephane Gendron) came first-over heading to the half-mile with Charron following their live cover second-over with Maximuscle. Caroluzzo pushed R Rkadabra to the half-mile in :57.3 and once in the backstretch, the pressure was too much as R Rkadabra began to fade and Caroluzzo took command with Maximuscle challenging on the outside.

By the three-quarters in 1:27.2, the two horses were neck and neck around the final turn and then in a dramatic stretch drive Maximuscle was able to wear down Caroluzzo to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. Somoli E (Jerome Lombart) closed to be third.

It was the eighth win in 14 starts this year for Maximuscle. He is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Ecurie Provoquante and paid $3.60 to win as the wagering favorite.

Just as exciting as the feature trot was the eighth race pace at a distance of 1-1/4 miles with 11 starters in the field.

From the start in the backstretch the fight for control of the lead was a war as Fortune Fever (Steeven Genois) had the rail but was pressured immediately by Charlie Drummond (Daniel Mondou) and from the outside eight post was the 6-5 race favorite, OK Diablo (Denis St Pierre).

They went to the first quarter in :28.3 as St Pierre settled OK Diablo second over, but after the half-mile in :59, St Pierre came back with OK Diable three-wide again, clearing Charlie Drummond, but unable to get past race leader Fortune Fever to the three-quarters in 1:28.4.

Then the action heated up even more as Kesons Reign and driver/trainer Andre Champagne, who had started from post nine in the second tier and had plenty of road traffic, was able to get to the outside and they came three-wide in the backstretch as they passed the mile marker in 2:00.2.

Kesons Reign was able to clear to the lead by the final turn and then in the stretch was still the strong horse, winning by 1-3/4 lengths in 2:31.1. O Diablo was second with Shesbadtothebone (Pascal Berube) third.

It was the fifth win this year for the 7-year-old son of Royal Mattjesty. He is locally owned by Jean Cote and Paul Lacoursiere and paid $10.60 to win.

— Steven Wolf for the Quebec Jockey Club

Harrah’s Philadelphia
Cane Pace winner Dealt A Winner (Daniel Dube) lived up to his race-favorite status in one of two divisions of a non-winners of $15,000 in their last five races at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. The 3-year-old gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark was able to quarter-brush after the speed settled in, leading every step thereafter, winning by a head over Dapper Dude (Corey Callahan) in 1:52.3. It was the seventh career win out of 19 career starts for the Mark Silva trainee, who paid 3.00. In the second division, it was Ooh Bad Boy (Allan Davis) who roared up the passing lane to win. The 5-year-old gelded son of Village Jolt now has nine wins in 85 starts. My Zach Bromac N, who set the pace, finished second, while Sweet Beach finished third. Ooh Bad Boy paid $13.00 to win and completed the mile in 1:53. Race 10 was a $20-25,000 claiming handicap. It featured 30-time winner R Gauwitz Hanover, who picked up another win in 1:52.1. He was claimed for $25,000 and it was the 12th straight start in which he was claimed.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Cash Poor and driver Jim Devaux overcame a strong field for trainer Harry Reddick in Sunday’s Open Trot at Saratoga. For his first Open victory, Cash Poor trotted a mile in 1:55.1.