from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, QC — When a racehorse wins for the first time in its career it is called its maiden victory. Usually maiden victories do not come in the opening round of a C$250,000 series, but that was not the case at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (July 5). Two of the three opening round divisions of the C$250,000 Quebec-Bred series for 3-year-old pacers were captured by maiden horses.

Starting in the third race first division for 3-year-old pacing fillies, HP Rubis Joyce, winless in 12 prior starts, was given a perfect drive by Louis Philippe Roy and the daughter of Perfect Union responded with a 2-1/2 length triumph in 1:59.

It was the race favorite, Kinnder Elegance and driver Justin Filion, who left hard from post six and led the field through fast fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:27.4, but sitting on their back patiently was HP Rubis Joyce and Roy, who waited until the top of the stretch to make their move.

Then with a burst of speed, HP Rubis Joyce collared Kinnder Elegance coming down the stretch and then pulled away for her first victory. Kinnder Elegance was second with No Panic (Gaetan Lamy) third.

Trained and owned by Nathalie Migneault with Eric Dechamplain, HP Rubis Joyce paid $10.80 to win.

Then in the fifth race division for 3-year-old pacing colts, SOS Justified and driver Mario Charron, in just his second lifetime start, having never raced at age two, posted a very impressive 1:56 triumph.

It was HP Rayan Art Jules (Frances Picard) who took advantage of starting from the rail to take the early lead. Then at the opening quarter-mile in :28.3, race favorite Sugarsam and driver Denis St. Pierre came first-over and looked to take the lead away but went off-stride.

It was then that Charron came first-over with SOS Justified and they took command before the half-mile marker in :58.1 and then picked up the pace. Sugarsam had regrouped and came first-over once again, but to no avail as SOS Justified led to the three-quarters in 1:26.4.

Coming down the stretch, SOS Justified and Charron were in command, winning by 1-1/2 lengths over HP Rayan Art Jules with Sugarsam, despite making the break, third.

Trained by Jean Tourigny and co-owned with Michel Damphousse, SOS Justified paid $11.70 to win.

It was a walk in the park in the sixth race second division for fillies as the overwhelming 1-5 wagering favorite, Voodoo Charm and Mario Charron, had little trouble leading from start to finish.

Charron and Voodoo Charm left from post six and held the field at bay through fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.4, coming on in the stretch to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:58.2. Miss Bro (Stephane Brosseau) was second with Big Bertha (Pascal Berube) third.

It was the second win in three starts this year for Voodoo Charm. The Ponder daughter is trained by Maxime Velaye for owners Yvan Mondoux, Guy Corbell, Alexandre Morin and Francois Laverdiere and paid $2.40 to win.

There are four weeks of preliminary rounds of the Quebec-Bred series in July, with the top eight point earners returning on Sunday (Sept. 6) for the C$65,000 finals in each division.

Live racing resumes at the Hippodrome 3R on Wednesday with first race post time at 7 p.m. For more information visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.