Trois-Rivieres, QC — Stephane Gendron got off to a superb start on opening day at the Hippodrome 3R, scoring a driving quintuple including a victory in the co-feature Preferred Pace with Mister Big Top.

It was a picture-perfect afternoon for racing with sunny skies and a large crowd for opening day.

Gendron started off the day on a winning note, capturing the first race pace with Gusty Greg ($9.10) in 1:57.3. He scored again in the fourth race trot with SG Goliath King ($13.10) in 2:00.2.

Mister Big Top won by one length over Chaleurs Ad in 1:57.3. Thephotodesk.ca photo.

In the eighth race Preferred Pace it was Too Much Duncan and driver Marc Belanger shooting out to the early lead from post seven over Chaleurs Ad (Jocelyn Gendron) to the opening quarter in :28.2. Chaleurs Ad and Gendron quarter moved to take command and Mister Big Top with Stephane Gendron sat patiently in third place, content to allow the other to fight for the lead.

By the half-mile marker in :58.3, Two Much Duncan and Belanger came first-over and were unable to collar Chaleurs Ad as they raced down the backstretch. Stephane Gendron finally made his move from third place at the three-quarters in 1:27.4 and tipped three-wide as they raced around the final turn.

With Chaleurs Ad still in command of the race, Gendron was able to urge Mister Big Top in the stretch and they won by one length over Chaleurs Ad in 1:57.3. Bali (Dany Mainguy) was third.

It was the second win in eight starts this year for Mister Big Top. The 7-year-old gelded son of Mister Big, trained by Yves Tessier and owned by Francis Morin, paid $8.00 to win.

Stephane Gendron capped the late daily double, winning the ninth race pace with Bettor Now ($2.90) in 2:00.1 and then the tenth race pace with My Lucky Bluejeans ($14.20) in 2:00.1 to sweep the last three races on the program for his five winners on the day.

In the second race Preferred Trot, Jamigo and driver Daniel Laflamme took advantage of costly breaks by the two wagering favorites and came home a big winner at odds of 19-1.

It was track record holder Wildwild Men (Jocelyn Gendron) on top of the field early with Lagerfeld (Raymond Gingras) sitting the two-hole pocket trip with Jamigo sitting in third place.

They went past the opening quarter in :29.1, then the half in :59.3. In the backstretch, Lagerfeld went off-stride, leaving Wildwild Men with a three length lead at the three-quarters in 1:28.4 and then he went off-stride.

That left a wide-open gap for driver Daniel Laflamme and he went right to the lead with Jamigo and held on in the stretch to win by one length in 2:00.2 over Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) with R Rkadabra (Stephane Gendron) third.

Trained and owned by Manon Lamothe, it was the first start this year for Jamigo, an 11-year-old gelding by Angus Hall. Going off at odds of 19-1, Jamigo paid $41.50 to win. That was the highest win payoff of the afternoon.

Stephane Gendron led all drivers with his five wins while not one other driver or trainer on the ten-race program could tally more than one win. Of the ten races, favorites only scored twice on the day.

Live racing resumes next Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.