from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — For the third time this harness racing season the track record for pacers at one and one-sixteenth miles at the Hippodrome 3R has been rewritten and once again it is a different horse setting the mark.

There have now been five track records either tied or set this season after just 11 race programs at Hippodrome 3R. The half-mile oval has been razor fast this meet.

Not only did San’s Frontiere and driver Marie Claude Auger set the record in the ninth race, but they also ended the five-race winning streak of former track record holder The Platinum Guy in the process.

The Platinum Guy had started off the season at Hippodrome 3R by setting the track mark at 2:04.4 back on May 20 for driver Stephen Gendron. The record was then tied last week by Adkins Hanover and has now been rewritten by one-fifth of a second by San’s Frontiere in 2:04.3.

It was Pan Larceny and driver Pierre Luc Roy who were first on the lead but they were pressured right away on the outside by Thebestofme and driver Mario Charron as they sped to the opening quarter-mile in a quick :27.4.

Once settled on the lead, Thebestofme led the field past the half-mile marker in :58.4 before Niceandup (Steven Genios) started up first-over and gave outside cover to San’s Frontiere. They raced that way through the three-quarters in 1:28.

Then Auger sent San’s Frontiere to the lead by the top of the stretch with race favorite The Platinum Guy and driver Denis St. Pierre hot on their heels, but they could not catch San’s Frontiere, who went on to win by one length. Thebestofme was third.

It was just the second start this year and first win for San’s Frontiere. The 7-year-old mare by House Of Fun is trained by Emile Auger and was bred and is owned by local resident Denis Auger of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. She paid $7.70 to win.

The first 2-year-old pari-mutuel race of the year took place Sunday in the first race with five trotters going to post.

William Star, a colt by Windsong Espoir, led at the start for owner/trainer/driver Jean Francois Magure through the opening quarter in :32.1 and the half in 1:05.2. Then the pocket-sitting Flexible and owner/trainer/driver Sylvain Fontaine pulled the pocket and took the lead on the outside before the three-quarters in 1:37.

They led until the top of the stretch when Magure came back with William Star and fought off the late charge of Promesses Imperial (Jerome Lombart) to win by a neck in 2:08.

William Star paid $10.80 to win.

Live racing resumes at Hippodrome 3R on Tuesday and featured will be one of the most exciting race cards of the season with the Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championships. In the competition are leading reinsmen Pascal Berube, Gord Brown, Mario Charron, Guy Gagnon, Jocelyn Gendron, Stephane Gendron, Sylvain Lacaille and Denis St. Pierre.

They will compete in eight races on the program and the top two finishers, based on points, will go on to compete in the National Driving Championship on August 26 at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park.

For more information about the Hippodrome 3R visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.