from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — The highest win payoff of the 2017 harness racing season at the Hippodrome 3R was recorded Sunday (Nov. 5) as The Rocket Man and trainer/driver Michel Audet blasted to the lead in the backstretch and then held off Bel Gazou to win by a head at odds of 55-1, paying $112.00 to win.

The sixth race trot saw Federal Strike and driver Sylvain Fontaine go out to the early lead with The Rocket Man and Audet sitting on the outside in fifth place going to the opening quarter-mile. Then by the half-mile marker, The Rocket Man had a slight lead over Federal Strike and then took command in the backstretch as Federal Strike began to fade.

Thephotodesk.ca photo

The Rocket Man was a 2:04.4 winner at odds of 55-1.

As the field came to the finish, Federal Strike caught a second wind and nearly collared The Rocket Man. Bel Gazou (Louis-Philippe Roy) closed with a burst of speed but it was too late to catch The Rocket Man. Federal Strike was third. Time for the one-mile race on an off track was 2:04.4.

The payoff was the first $100-plus winner to come in at H3R this season.

The Rocket Man is a 4-year-old gelded son of Manofmanymissions and is owned by Rexanne Viau. It was his fourth win this year.

With one of the most amazing racing efforts of the year at H3R, National Debt and driver Stephane Gendron swept three- and four-wide in the backstretch, and came on to win the eighth race Invitational Pace going away.

Getting away in last place at the start of the race, National Debut could see them all as Atomic Million AM (Mario Charron) led the field with Glass Shadow (Stephane Brosseau) sitting in the place to the opening quarter-mile in :28. As they came to the half-mile in :58.2, National Debt was still in last place, but horses began to come out to challenge, but that was not fast enough for National Debt and Gendron as they tipped three-wide heading to the backstretch.

Then before the three-quarter-mile marker in 1:28.1, Gendron was forced four-wide with National Debut and the pacer responded by circling the field on the final turn and collaring Atomic Million despite being three-wide. Coming down the stretch, National Debt was bearing out but still had plenty of pace left to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.1. Glass Shadow was second with Atomic Million AM third.

It was the 10th victory of the season for National Debt, a 6-year-old stallion trained by Yves Tessier for owner Francois Morin. He paid $5.70 to win.

Track Notes: With next Sunday being closing day for the 2017 live harness racing meet at H3R, it looks like both the driving and training titles are not wrapped up. Driver Stephane Brosseau holds a diminishing 51-46 lead over Stephane Gendron for the dash winning title. With two victories from his stable Sunday, Frances Richard looks to hold up as the leading trainer at H3R. He leads 26-19 over Yves Tessier, who also had a winner.

Drivers Pascal Berube, Stephane Gendron and Louis-Philippe Roy all had two winners on the program Sunday.

Post time next Sunday for the final live race card of the season is 12:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.