Kaporal and Streakayococo shine in Future Stars Series

Kaporal and HP Momentum, arguably the two top contenders in the Future Stars Series for two-year-old harness racing pacing colts, locked horns once again Sunday in the final leg of the series at the Hippodrome 3R.

And the outcome was nearly the same as when the two met for the first time, Kaporal proved to be much the best.

The second race $8,000 co-feature saw Kaporal and driver Stephane Gendron take the early lead away from Le Massif (Simon Delisle) by the opening quarter in :28.

Coming to the half, Richie Alpha (Pascal Berube) moved to the outside from sixth place and flushed HP Momentum (Jocelyn Gendron) first-over before the half mile in :59.1.

HP Momentum then came after Kaporal and those two went head and head to the three-quarters in 1:28.2. The dogfight would continue around the final turn and down the stretch, but Kaporal proved to be too tough again, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.3. HP Momentum was second with Le Massif third.

Trained by Francis Richard, Kaporal is a gelded son of Sunshine Beach, co-owned by the Francis Richard Stable, Ferme Auclair and Jean-Christophe Auclair. It was his second straight win and a lifetime mark. He paid $4.40 to win as the wagering favorite.

KAPORAL REPLAY

The fourth race Future Stars Series for the pacing fillies was just as exciting as the colt division.
HP Mary Sunshine (Pascal Berube) was first on the lead with Streakayococo (Samuel Fillion) getting the pocket-seat to the opening quarter in :29.3. Right away driver Louis-Philippe Roy came first-over with the 1/5 favorite Sunjet Ray.

Past the half in :59.3, Sunjet Ray stretched out HP Marry Sunshine and was then able to drop into the two-hole. Amaya (Francis Picard) then came first-over and Fillion waited and then followed second-over with Streakayococo to the three-quarters in 1:30.3.

On the final turn, Sunjet Ray was blocked with pace in the two-hole and Fillion tipped Streakayococo three-wide. HP Mary Sunshine still led coming down the stretch but could not hold off the late charge of Streakayococo, who went on to win by one and one-half lengths in 2:00.4.

Sunjet found room late in the stretch to finish second with HP Mary Sunshine third.

It was the second straight win in the series for Streakayococo, a daughter of Artspeak, trained by Dany Fontaine and co-owned by Raymond Primeau (who bred the horse) and Marc Cyr. She paid $6.30 to win.

STREAKAYOCOCO REPLAY

After today’s final leg, the top eight point-earners in the series will return for Super Sunday at H3R, September 12, when the track will host all eight finals. Each of the Breeders Trophy Series final for the three-year-olds will race for a purse of $60,000 and the Future Stars Series for the two-year-olds race for a purse of $50,000.

With more than $500,000 in total purses, Super Sunday is the richest day of horse racing in Quebec.

The fastest mile of the day came in the eighth race Preferred-Handicap Pace as D Gs De Vito (Jonathan Lachance) was able to grind it out first-over against race favorite Littlebitaswagger (Louis-Philippe Roy) and draw off to win by a half length in 1:55.1. He paid $7.10 to win for trainer Marc-Andre Simoneau and owner Charles Gaudreault of Metis-Sur-Mer.

In the seventh race mares Preferred-Handicap Pace, Kiss Me Bad ($3.60) and owner-trainer-driver Steven Gagnon of Sorel Tracy, swept three-wide in the backstretch, then four-wide on the final turn before scooting away for a 1:56 triumph by two lengths.

Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau had a driving double and Dany Fontaine a training double and visiting driver Louis-Philippe Roy went winless on the day. With no more Friday racing, the next live race card will be next Sunday, first race post time at 12:10 pm. For full results and additional information, visit here.

By Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club