from the Quebec Jockey Club
Trois-Rivieres, QC — Harness racing driver Stephane Brosseau may have scored four winners at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (May 6), but the fastest mile on the day belonged to driver Jocelyn Gendron and National Debt in the Invitational Handicap Pace.
For the second straight week defending driving champion Stephane Brosseau was the best among the driving colony with four victories on the program. His wins came three straight, the fifth, sixth, seventh and then won the co-feature trot in race nine.
Brosseau nearly made it four straight wins in the eighth race co-featured pace.
The race began with the only mare in the field of eight, Rainbow Palace and driver Francis Picard shooting to the early lead, but they then gave way to D J Power (Pierre Luc Roy) at the opening quarter mile in :27.4.
And already on the move on the outside was Brosseau with the race favorite American Wiggle. They worked their way to the front and cut the mile to the half in :57. It was then that driver Jocelyn Gendron came first-over with National Debt and started grinding their way towards the race leader.
In the backstretch, National Debt collared American Wiggle but could not pass them by at the three-quarters in 1:26. American Wiggle then gained ground on the final turn and took the lead away from National Debt. But that was only briefly as after they started down the stretch, National Debt was the strong horse, winning by one and one-half lengths in 1:55. American Wiggle barely held off Rainbow Palace for second place.
It was the fifth win this year for National Debt ($5.50), a 7-year-old stallion by Allamerican Native. He is trained by Yves Tessier and owned by Francois Morin of Beauceville.
Trainer Yves Tessier also trained the winner of the ninth race co-feature trot.
It was none other than R Rkadabra and driver Pierre Luc Roy scooting to the early with Stephane Brosseau and race favorite Torches Angel leaving from post eight and getting the two-hole trip by the opening quarter mile in :28.1.
R Rkadabra then cut the mile to the half in :58.3 and was solid on the lead going into the backstretch. Before the three-quarters in 1:28.1, Brosseau moved Torches Angel to the outside and then the lead by the final turn. They then pulled away for an easy win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:57.4. Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) closed well to be second with Rocky Boy (Marc Belanger) third.
It was win number four on the day for driver Stephanie Brosseau and the second training score of the afternoon for Yves Tessier as he sent out the winners in both co-feature races.
An 8-year-old mare by Angus Hall, it was the second straight win and fourth victory on the year for Torches Angel, who paid $4.00 to win. It was also an owner double for Morin Beauceville.
Track Notes: With no rain and sunny skies, fans saw the H3R track in s good shape. In the very first race, Soccer Hanover ($7.80) and driver Pascale Berube came first-over from the half-mile and wore down pacesetter and race favorite Rain Gage (Daniel Laflamme) at the wire to win by a half-length and tied his lifetime record in 1:57.1.
The Hippodrome 3R website, www.quebecjockeyclub, now features a live feed of the harness races. Live racing resumes next Sunday, post time at 12:50 pm.