Trois-Rivieres, QC – Maracasso and trainer/driver Carol Voyer were able to steamroll over the field to capture the Preferred Pace at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday.
The fifth race feature first saw Ninoscredit and driver Stephane Gendron leave from the rail for the early lead. Voyer also had Maracasso on the move from post four, but Gendron was not going to let them get to the lead with ease and parked them out to the opening quarter mile in :27.1.
Voyer pressed the issue with Maracasso and they took command by the half mile in :55.1. From that point on Maracasso took off, leading the field by three lengths in the backstretch.
At the three-quarters in 1:24, Maracasso was still in command. Stock and driver Pascal Berube moved three-wide in the backstretch and was able to get behind Maracasso and gave a game effort, closing within a half length as Maracasso went on to win in 1:54.4. Ninocredit was second.
It was the seventh win this year for Maracasso. The seven-year-old gelded son of Lis Mara is owned by the Alpha Stable of Metabetchouan and he paid $5.40 to win.
Jimbelina, the long mare in the field, saw her five-race win streak come to close, finishing fifth.
The Filly & Mares Preferred Pace saw Uptown Woman ($6.30) and driver Pascal Berube pulled the pocket at the three-quarters on pacesetter Sauble Bonnie and then scoot away from the field to win in a romp by six and one-quarter lengths in 1:57.
Solid Man ($3.40), after overcoming going wide into the first turn, was an easy winner in the Two-Year-Old Open Pace, wiring the field by two and one-half lengths in 1:59.2.
Histoire Enchantee ($2.10) continued his remarkable comeback after being away from the races for nearly two years, winning the tenth race pace in 1:56.4 for his third straight win. He was driven by Stephane Gendron for trainer Maxime Velaye.
Francis Picard led all the drivers with a triple and H3R's leading trainer, Francis Richard, sent out two winners.
Track Notes: The final stop of the Regional Fair Circuit in Quebec took place Saturday at Ormstown. The track record for 1 ½ mile race was broken by the pacer Hooter Shooter, who went in 3:11.1 for driver Sam Filion and owner/trainer Marc Andre Simoneau. The old record was 3:12.3 set by Strokin (LPR) on July 16, 2016. This was the fifth track record broken this year on the circuit. Next Sunday, H3R will host the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit Championships.
From the Quebec Jockey Club