X O X O dominates H3R Preferred Trot

Trois-Rivieres, QC – With a perfect wait and see drive, Bermuda’s Kiwon Waldron steered X O X O (Angus Hall) to a dominant harness racing triumph in the Preferred-Handicap Trot at the Hippodrome 3R Friday afternoon (June 10).

The 2nd race feature was billed as a battle of the sexes, but it started off with a brutal slugfest for control of the lead. Muscles Forever (Sylvain Fontaine) had the lead and P C Heisenberg (Marie-Claude Auger) wanted the front. Those two were up by three lengths on the field by the first quarter in :28.1. Walron was sitting in third watching it all take place with X O X O.

Driver Stephane Brosseau had Laa Dee Gaa moving first-over after the opening quarter and was inching towards the leaders at the half mile in :58.2. Waldron waited and then followed the second-over cover before the half mile.

As the field raced down the backstretch, X O X O had too much trot and Waldron took the mare three-wide at the three-quarters in 1:29 and was able to clear to the lead on the outside by the top of the stretch.

Coming down the lane, X O X O pulled away from the field to win by two and one-half lengths in 2:00.1. Laa Dee Gaa was second with P C Heisenberg third. The race favorite, Stella Alpha, broke stride before the half mile.

It was the second straight win in the Preferred for X O X O, her third win of the season in six starts. A four-year-old mare, X O X O is trained by Michel Allard for the D Racing Stable of Middletown, NY. She paid $7.20 to win.

X O X O REPLAY

In the 6th race Mares Preferred-Handicap Pace, Platine Alpha (Control The Moment) and driver Jimmy Gagnon turned the tables on the 1/5 race favorite La Petite Grise (Pascal Berube).

Numerous lead changes took place early on with Molly Cool (Stephane Brosseau) on the lead, then Shemaksmefeelunreal (Kiwon Waldron) came on the outside to take command, then at the quarter in :27.4, Brosseau came back to the front with Molly Cool.

Meanwhile, Berube was on the move with La Petite Grise and they took over before the half mile in :58 with Platine Alpha coming first-over and giving outside cover to Sophies Cam (Simon Delisle).

After the three-quarters in 1:28.2, both La Petite Grise and Platine Alpha separated from the field and those two went head and head around the final turn and down the stretch.

La Petite Grise did not have anything left in the tank as Platine Alpha was able to grind it out and win by a half-length in 1:58.2. Molly Cool was third.

A four-year-old mare, Platine Alpha was bred and is owned by the Alpha Stables of trainer Sylvain Tremblay. It was her second win this year and she paid $10.50 to win.

PLATINE ALPHA REPLAY

Track Notes: Marie-Claude Auger led all drivers Friday with a double. Live racing resumes at H3R on Sunday (June 12) with first race post time at 12:00 noon. Windsong Cheyenne can become the winningest horse at H3R this season if he can win the 3rd race pace for driver Pascal Berube. He already has won four of his last five starts for trainer-owner Gina Bragagnolo. For a free race program, visit here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club