Trois-Rivieres, QC – The three-year-old trotter, Cesar Duharas, showed that his amazing harness racing track record performance in 1:56.1 at the Hippodrome 3R (H3R) on July 26 was no fluke as the gelded son of Muscle Massive won a division of the Breeders Cup Series again on Friday at H3R.
Competing in the $10,000C second race, the third and final leg of the series, driver Pascal Berube wasted no time getting Cesar Duharas right to the early lead with El Bleu (Stephane Brosseau) sitting right on their backs to the opening quarter mile in :29.2. The rest of the field was already five lengths behind the leaders.
Opening up on the field some more, Cesar Duharas pasted the half mile mark in :59 with El Bleu still able to stay close in second place. Then after the three-quarters in 1:27.3, Cesar Duharas started to pull away from El Bleu and went on to win in a romp by eight and one-quarter lengths in 1:56.3. El Bleu held for second with Money Hill (Yves Filion) third.
It was the second straight win in just five lifetime starts for Cesar Duharas. He is trained by Denis Gueriel and was bred and is owned by Haras De L Estrie, Inc. of Dunham. He paid $2.30 to win.
After this weekend, the top eight money winners from both the Breeders Cup Series and the Future Stars Series will return to H3R on Sunday, September 8, for their respective finals with total purses that day at $500,000C.
In the eighth race filly division of the Breeders Cup for a purse of $10,000, it was Kinderunbelievable and driver Pierre Luc Roy scored a mild upset over Cor Leo and driver Stephane Gendron.
Cor Leo cut the mile from the start and after the half mile, Roy came after them on the outside and was able to duck into the two-hole, then after the three-quarters, Roy came after the leader again and this time, after the final turn, was able to collar Cor Leo and then go on to win by one length in a lifetime best 1:59.3. Cor Leo was second with Claudi P V (Pascal Berube) third.
Bred, owned and trained by Denitza Petrova of Melbourne, it was the second win this year for the daughter of Archangel who paid $12.30 to win.
In the third race first $7,500C division of the Future Stars Series Friday for two-year-old trotting colts, Major Bay and driver Jocelyn Gendron pulled off an upset victory over 1/5 favorite Kenogami Coco (Tyler Jones).
Major Bay cut the entire mile with Kenogami Coco sitting the pocket trip and then Major Bay held him off in the stretch to win by one length in 2:04.1. Master Gale (Jerome Lombart) was third.
Sire by Amigo Hall, it was a lifetime mark and the second straight win and third victory in just four career starts for Major Bay. He is trained by Francis Richard for Ferme Auclair-Ecurie Francis Richard, Inc. and Jan Christophe of Auclair. He paid $6.00 to win.
The fifth race second colt trot division saw a real dogfight take place early on as Babidibou (Stephane Gendron) would not give the lead away to 1/5 favorite Tuscan Titan (Guy Gagnon) as those two pulled away from the field and battled past a :28.2 opening quarter mile.
It looked as if Gagnon could not get his colt to settle down into the two-hole and then he went off-stride. That left Babidibou and Gendron all alone on the lead.
They strolled to the half in 1:00.4, the three-quarters in 1:32.1 and came home a 12 and one-quarter length winner in a lifetime best 2:02.4 mile. Tuscan Titan rebounded to finish second with HP Muscle Dancer (Jocelyn Gendron) third.
Trained by Maxime Velaye for Isidore Russo of Montreal and Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, it was the first career win for the son of Royalty For Life in four starts and he paid $6.10 to win.
The lone filly division of the Future Stars Series for $10,000C saw the race favorite, Emotions Durables and driver Tyler Jones, lead from start to finish and win by one length over SOS Trumper (Jocelyn Gendron) in 2:04.3. Kinnder High Class (Pierre Luc Roy) was third.
For the daughter of Wheeling N Dealing, it was her third straight win in four lifetime starts for owner/trainer Cassandra Lecourt of St-Victoria De Sorel. She paid $5.10 to win.
Pacal Berube and H3R's leading driver Stephane Gendron each has driving doubles Friday. Both Francis Richard, H3R's leading trainer and Maxime Velaye both sent out two winners on the night. Six of the ten races on Friday saw lifetime mark scored.
Track Notes: A late driver change in the Prix d'Ete on Sunday as Eric Goodell is not coming to H3R and he will be replaced on Turbo Hill by Jonathan Drury. That makes the six leading purse money drivers in all of Canada competing in the Prix d"ete. They are: 1. Sylvain Filion ($3,480,641), 2. Louis Philippe Roy ($3,116,294), 3. Bob McClure ($2,881,807), 4. Trevor Henry ($2,550,734), 5. Doug McNair ($2,176,471) and 6. Jonathan Drury ($2,176,550).
Post time on Sunday is 1:00 pm. For a free race program or to watch the H3R races, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club