Trois-Rivieres, Quebec – The Hippodrome 3R hosted four $35,000 finals of the Quebec-Bred Series for four and five-year-old trotters and pacers Sunday and the action was fast and furious from the start.
In the third race first division for older pacing horses, Atomic Million AM made the most of an ideal two-hole pocket trip from race favorite Champagne Phil, sliding out from second at the top of the stretch for driver Sylvain LaCaille and out gunning them to the wire in a track record time of 1:52.3.
Driver Denis St Pierre sent Champagne Phil out for the lead from post five but LeCaille and Atomic Million AM had other ideas, stinging Pierre and Champagne Phil to the opening quarter in :26.2 before letting them take command.
Separating from the rest of the field, Champagne Phil led with Atomic Million AM sitting right on his back through the half mile in :55.2 and the three-quarters in 1:24.2. Then sling-shotting from the pocket, Atomic Million AM collared Champagne Phil and going on to win by a half-length. Bali (Shane Weber) was third.
The time of 1:52.3 was the second fastest mile in Hippodrome 3R history. It rewrote the track record for older geldings of 1:53.1 that was set by Duc D’Orleans in 2014. Atomic Million AM is also eligible for the $200,000 Prix D’Ete at the Hippodrome 3R on August 23.
For Atomic Million AM, it was the four-year-old son of Million Dollar Cam’s fourth win in seven starts this year. He has yet to finish worse than second in a race. He is trained and owned by Alan Martin of Gatineau, QC and bred by Ferme Alain Martin. He paid $4.40 to win.
There were no surprises in the fourth race finale for older trotting horses as the prohibited favorite, unbeaten Maximuscle and driver Mario Charron scored with ease in 1:57.3.
It was the fastest trotting mile this season at the Hippodrome 3R, but a “walk in the park” for Maximuscle.
SOS Ticket Master (Pascal Berube) was first out of the starting gate with Maximuscle and Charron floating on the outside in second place. Then after the opening quarter mile in :28.1, Maximuscle has taken command from SOS Ticket Master.
Only SOS Ticket Master was able to stay somewhat close to Maximuscle as he cut easy fractions of :58 and 1:28. Then by the top of the stretch, SOS Ticket Master moved to the outside and was looming closer to Maximuscle. But Mario Charron just raised the lines and Maximuscle easily trotted to a two length triumph. SOS Ticket Master was second with Somoli E (Jerome Lombart) third.
A four-year-old gelded son of Angus Hall, it was the fourth straight win for Maximuscle this season. He is trained by Maxme Velaye and owned and bred by Ecurie Provoguante of Mirabel, QC. Maximuscle paid the mandatory $2.10 to win. Over the past three years Maximuscle has made a clean sweep of the Quebec-Bred Series.
My Tallia Ideal and driver Stephane Gendron took full advantage of the late scratch by Champagne Shower, and were not only able to leave and get to the lead, but cut torrid fractions and set a track record in the sixth race finale for older pacing mares.
After getting stung early by Victoria Semalu (Stephane Brosseau) to the opening quarter mile in :27.1. My Tallia Ideal settled on the lead but kept motoring to the half mile in :56.3 and the three-quarters in 1:25.4.
It was then that Brosseau moved to the outside with Victoria Semalu but they could not collar My Tallia Ideal who crossed the wire a winner by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.1. Chaleurs Fantasy (Gaetan Lamy) was third.
The time of the race reset the track record for older pacing mares that was previously co-held by not only My Tallia Ideal two starts back, but also Champagne Shower (2015) and Sans Frontiere (2013).
Trained by Michel Allard, My Tallia Ideal is a five-year-old mare by Western Ideal. She is owned and was bred by Gestion Mario Audet, Inc. and Yves Sarrazin, QC. She paid $2.80 to win.
Viva Bayama and driver Denis St Pierre, despite being parked out three-wide from the start of the backstretch to the top of the stretch, was still able to pull away for a three length triumph in the eighth race finale for older trotting mares.
Canbec Kangourou and driver Jocelyn Gendron out early but challenged right away by Kim Sorel (Martin Gingras) who took the lead at the opening quarter mile in :28.4. Then Gendron came right back with Canbec Kangourou to retake the lead.
They raced to the half mile in :59 as Pierre came to the outside with Viva Bayama, but they faced road traffic as Lucyll Bro (Stephane Gendron) came to the outside and that forced Viva Bayama three wide down the backstretch.
Hoping to clear and be first-over was out of the question for Denis St Pierre and Viva Bayama as Kim Sorel and Gingras came out again and kept Viva Bayama parked out three-wide past the three-quarters in 1:29.1 and around the final turn.
But the classy mare Viva Bayama was up to the talk, collaring the leaders by the top of the stretch and then pulling away at the finish in 2:00.2. Kim Sorel was second with Sexy P V (Yves St Jacques) third.
It was the third straight win for the four-year-old daughter of Muscle Mass. She is trained by Sebastien Groux and owned by Richard Dinelle and Andre St Laurent. She was bred by Bayama Farms and paid $3.20 to win. It was her seventh victory in ten starts this year.
Live racing resumes Wednesday at the Hippodrome 3R. First race post time 7:00 pm. For more information visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club