Trois-Rivieres, QC – Two track records fell by the wayside as the Hippodrome 3R played host to their Super Sunday featuring eight harness racing series championship finals with purses on the card totaling more than $508,000.
It was the richest day of horse racing in all of Quebec and Mother Nature cooperated with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine.
Here is a brief description of all eight finals.
$55,000 2YO Filly Trot Final – No surprises in this non-wagering division as track record holder Mag N Lady once again distanced the field (the other three in the race all broke stride). Trained, driven and co-owned by Jean Francois Maguire of Ontario with Julie Malenfant, Richard Legris and Pascale Maguire, Mag N Lady covered the one-mile trot in 2:02. New Road (Steeven Genois) was second with XOXO (Jerome Lombart) third.
Sired by Royalty For Life, it was the fourth straight win for Mag N Lady, a clean sweep of all three preliminary rounds and the final. She was bred by Jeffrey Gillis and Gerald Stay.
$55,000 2YO Colt Trot Final – Undefeated Kinnder Dangerzone made it four for four in his young career as he grinded out an impressive 2:01 triumph. Parked out first-over against pacesetter Eyes For Justice (Steeven Genois), Kinnder Dangerzone and driver Pierre-Luc Roy sat first-over from the opening quarter mile until the backstretch and once on the lead he pulled away from the field to win by four and one-quarter lengths. Hall Win (Louis-Philippe Roy) was second with Eyes Of Justice was third.
Sired by Northern Escort, it was a lifetime mark for Kinnder Dangerzone, who was bred and is owned and trained by Denitza Petrova of Melbourne. He paid $3.00 to win.
$55,000 2YO Filly Pace Final – Driver Sylvain Filion did not come back to Quebec just for the poutine. He was back at H3R for Super Sunday to drive his dad’s horses and he did not disappoint. Leaving with Celia Bayama, they had it easy through a :28.1 quarter and :58.4 half mile before CL Sportsextreme and driver Jonathan Lachance came after them and the two drew away from the field in the backstretch, battling head and head to the three-quarters in 1:26.2. Then Ceila Bayama pulled away and set the track record with a 1:55.3 clocking. CL Sportsextreme was second with Platine Alpha (Pascal Berube) third.
The previous record for two-year-old pacing fillies was 1:56.2 set by Behaven Myself (Pascal Berube) in 2018. Trained by Yves Filion, owned and bred by his Bayama Farms of Saint-Andre-D’Agenteuil, it was the second straight win and four of the year for the daughter of Bettor’s Delight. She paid $2.40 to win.
$55,000 2YO Colt Pace Final – Cadillac Bayama (Sylvain Filion), the 1/5 betting favorite, got roughed up early by pacesetter YS Do It Right ($4.90) and driver Louis-Philippe Roy, and had nothing left in the tank in the stretch as YS Do It Right won by one length in a lifetime best mile of 1:55.2. Roy parked out Filion to a :27.2 opening quarter, forcing Filion into the two-hole. Then after a half in :56.3 and three-quarters in 1:27, Cadillac Bayama could not catch YS Do It Right, who won by one and one-quarter lengths. The Light Speed (Pascal Berube) was third.
It was the second win this year for YS Do It Right. The colt by Bettor’s Delight is trained by Francis Richard for owner-breeder Yves Sarrazin of La Presentation.
$65,000 3YO Filly Trot Final – Kinnder High Class ($2.20) was the overwhelming 1/9 favorite and raced like it as she set a track record. The daughter of Royalty For Life went right to the lead for driver Pierre-Luc Roy, held the field at bay through fractions of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:28.4 and as the field came at her at the three-quarters, she pulled away and scored a three and one-half length triumph in 1:58.1. HP Starlette (Stephane Brosseau) was second with Judy’s Program (Sylvain Filion) third.
The previous track record for three-year-old trotting fillies was 1:59.2 set by Viva Bayama (Yves Filion) in 2014. It was the third straight win, a lifetime mark and the seventh victory in ten starts this year for Kinnder High Class. It made for an exciting championship double for owner, trainer and breeder Denitza Petrova. Kinnder High Class is from the mare, Majestic Joy, and is a half-sister to Kinnder Dangerzone.
$65,000 3YO Colt Trot Final – Babidibou was the reigning champion from last year but was denied a second title as Kenogami Coco ($5.50) was at his best. The gelded son of Wheeling N Dealin was parked out first-over against Frido PV through fractions of :28.1, :58.4 and 1:27.3, all the while giving Babidibou (Stephane Gendron) great second-over cover.
All three trotters were in contention coming down the stretch and Kenogami Coco was much the best, winning by one length in 1:57.3. Babidibou was second with Frido PV third. It was the third straight win for Kenogami Coco, who is trained by Dany Fontaine for owner-breeder Jean-Francis & Marie Claude Reid of Anjou.
$65,000 3YO Filly Pace Final – The build-up of Acaena De Chakrika vs Streakazana lived up to its hype, but all the glory went to Godiva Lovely Lady ($9.30), who snuck up the inside to win it all in 1:56.4. Acaena De Chakrika (Stephane Brosseau) was parked out to the lead in a :27 first quarter by Godiva Lovely Lady and driver-trainer Guy Gagnon. She then took command and led to the half mile in :57 as co-favorite Streakazana and Louis-Philippe Roy came first-over and pressed the pace to the three-quarters in 1:26.4. Then coming for home as those two began to tire, Gagnon came up the inside for the win by one length over Acaena De Chakrika with Streakazana third.
It was the third win this year for Godiva Lovely Lady and a lifetime mark. Sired by Badlands Hanover, she is owned and bred by Raymond Larose of St-Henri-De-Levis.
$65,000 3YO Colt Pace Final – It was a Calvary charge from the start as four horses all left hard for the early lead, going three deep around the first turn. It was not until the opening quarter in a speedy :26 that Eclat De Rire (Stephane Gendron), the 2019 Champion, cleared to the lead from HP I Got To Play (Louis-Philippe Roy). Whitecookie (Marie Claude Auger) came first-over and pressed the field to the half mile in :54.2. In the backstretch, Brutus Bayama (Guy Gagnon) popped three-wide at the three-quarters in 1:24 to press the pace. As they came down the stretch, Roy was able to collar Eclat De Rire and go on to win by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:53.3. Brutus Bayama was third.
It was a lifetime mark for the colt by Shadow Play. HP I Got To Play is trained by Francis Richard for co-owners/breeders Claude Hamel of Ayer S Cliff and Guy Desautels of Montreal. The winner paid $18.50 in scoring the upset victory.
Track Notes: Driver Pierre-Luc Roy had a big day with a driving triple, two of them in championship races. Stephane Gendron, Sylvain Filion, Louis-Philippe Roy and Guy Gagnon each had driving doubles. Denitza Petrova and Francis Richard each had training double, both in the championship races. Live racing resumes next Friday at the Hippodrome 3R. First race post time is 4:00 pm. For more information, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
From the Quebec Jockey Club