Trois-Rivieres, QC – Appleby Hanover put in a super gusty first-over mile in capturing the 8th race Preferred-Handicap Pace at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday afternoon.
The feature race began with three-horses racing three-wide to the opening quarter mile. It was Surf Report (Tyler Jones) who took the lead away from Rainbow Palace (Francis Picard), who had taken the lead from D J Power (Pierre Luc Roy). They went by the opening quarter mile in :27.2.
As the field came past the grandstand the second time, it was driver Stephane Gendron coming first-over with Appleby Hanover and they were nearly able to collar Surf Report past the half mile marker in :56.3.
With Bali (Stephane Brosseau) racing second-over and race favorite Ufdragons Rocket (Pascal Berube) third-over, it was still Surf Report battling with Appleby Hanover at the three-quarters in 1:25.1.
Coming down the stretch was when Appleby Hanover was able to find another gear, wearing down Surf Report and going on to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:55.2. Surf Report held for second place with Ufdragons Rocket third.
It was the third straight win this year for Appleby Hanover, a six-year-old stallion bu Well Said, trained and co-owned by Michel Allard of Saint-Esprit. His mile was the fastest of the afternoon. Sent off at odds of 7-1, Appleby Hanover paid $16.70 to win.
Sultan D Or saw his four-race winning streak come to a close in the 7th race trot. Unbeaten in four starts this year, Sultan D Or started from post nine in the second tier and has problems getting behind the starting gate and was never in the hunt.
Massmade and driver Stephane Brosseau upset the field at 8-1, winning in 1:59 and paying $18.20 to win. Sultan D Or is still the winningest horse at H3R this season.
Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau led all drivers Sunday with three wins while Marc Andre Simoneau was the leading trainer with two wins from his stable. All nine of the races Sunday were timed in under 2:00. Management at the Quebec Jockey Club has announced that the Hippodrome 3R will host the Quebec Regional Fair Finals on Saturday, July 13 with first race post time at 1:00 pm. That weekend there will be live racing at the track on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
From the Quebec Jockey Club