from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, QC — If the race was a prize fight, they would have called it over at the top of the stretch as Wildwild Men was already up by eight lengths and only poured it on as he won one of two opening divisions of the C$200,000 Quebec-Bred Series for 2-year-old trotters at the Hippodrome 3R Wednesday (Aug. 12). And in doing so, Wildwild Men set a track record.

Photodesk.ca photo

Wildwild Men set a track record on Wednesday at 3R.

Starting from post three, driver Robert Shepard sent the gelded son of Muscle Mass to the front and never had to look back. Holding the field at bay, Wildwild Men cut fractions of :30.2, 1:02.4 and 1:32.3 with his nearest rival, the pocket-sitting Y S Suzanne (Stephane Brosseau), in second place at the top of the stretch by eight lengths.

Then for good measure, Wildwild Men kicked in a :29.4 last quarter to stop the timer in 2:02.2, winning by 14-1/2 lengths. His time set the track record for 2-year-old gelding trotters. Red Monster (Guy Gagnon) was third.

It was the second straight win and third on the year for Wildwild Men. He is trained by Isabella Darveau for owners Catheline Pelletier and breeder Chantal Gravel. Wildwild Men paid $2.40 to win.

In the first race, first division of the series, Tuscans Memory was given a perfect drive by Pascal Berube in catching the pacesetter and race favorite Panamas Boy (Stephane Brosseau) at the wire by a head.

With Panamas Boy and Tuscans Memory leaving from posts six and seven, respectively, Panamas Boy was first on top with Tuscans Memory nestled into the two-hole.

As no one else in the field could match strides with them it became a two horse race. At the top of the stretch Berube moved Tuscans Memory out to challenge and they were able to collar Panamas Boy in mid-stretch and nail them at the wire to win by a head in 2:05. EAU Naturelle (Mario Charron) was third.

It was the maiden victory for Tuscans Memory, a gelded son of Kadabra, in his third lifetime start for trainer Dany Fontaine and owner/breeder Ecurie Gaetan Bono, Inc. The winner paid $11.90.

Coming up this Sunday is the opening round of the C$200,000 Quebec-Bred Series for 2-year-old pacing colts and fillies. For more information visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.