Bonfire Bash lights blaze in H3R Preferred Trot

Trois-Rivieres, QC – In a wild photo finish that saw the race favorite break stride and nearly come back to win, Bonfire Bash (Angus Hall) collected the harness racing glory in barely winning the Preferred-Handicap Trot Friday (July 8) at the Hippodrome 3R.

The 3^rd race co-feature first saw Hall Win and driver-trainer Kevin Maguire fire from the starting gate like he was shot from a cannon. He grabbed the lead from post eight before the field entered the first turn.

With Bonfire Bash and driver Francis Picard getting the two-hole trip behind Hall Win, the 1/9 race favorite, Kinnder Dangerzone and driver Pierre-Luc Roy were coming after the leaders on the outside in the first turn and broke stride. Roy nearly had to bring him to a halt to get him back trotting.

Meanwhile, Hall Win led the field to the first quarter in :29.2 and backed it off to the half mile in 1:00. Then Archimed Alpha (Pascal Berube) came first-over with Eau Naturelle (Stephane Brosseau) second-over.

Heading towards the three-quarters, 45-1 Morally Flexible (Daniel Theroux) was third-over and then tipped three-wide and following their cover was Kinnder Dangerzone, who had regrouped and caught the field for Roy.

Past the three-quarters in 1:30.3 and going into the final turn horses were stacked up three and four-wide. Then starting down the stretch, Hall Win began to fade, 10-1 Bonfire Bash and Picard found clearance to mount a charge while Morally Flexible and Kinnder Dangerzone both became contenders racing down the stretch.

Once the dust had cleared, Bonfire Bash won by half a head over Morally Flexible with Kinnder Dangerzone a very impressive third by quarter length after his costly break early in the race. The time of the mile was 2:01.3.

BONFIRE BASH REPLAY

It was the second straight win for Bonfire Bash. The six-year-old gelding took his lifetime mark last week in 2:00.4 at H3R. He is trained by Serge Houde for Michel Carrier, Inc. of Chesapeake City, Maryland. He paid $23.00 to win while Morally Flexible paid a whopping $84.90 to place.

In the Fillies and Mares Preferred-Handicap Pace, it was newcomer Askmysecretary (Mach Three) and driver Pascal Berube who stole the show in a romp.

Fancy Girl (Francis Picard) started off the 6^th race on the lead with Askmysecretary and Berube grabbing the two-hole journey.

Fancy Girl cut the mile to the quarter in :28 and the half mile in :58.1. When Sophies Cam (Stephane Brosseau) started up first-over from sixth place, it flushed Askmysecretary in the backstretch and she vaulted to the lead over Fancy Girl by three-quarters in 1:28.1.

From there Askymsecretary tore away from the field and opened up in the stretch, winning four and one-half lengths in 1:56.4. The race favorite, Kiss Me Bad (Steven Gagnon) was second with Sophies Cam third.

It was the third win of the year for Askmysecretary. She is trained by Yves Tessier for owner Michel Letarte and Jean Allaire. She paid $8.20 to win.

ASKMYSECRETARY REPLAY

Track Notes: H3R’s leading driver Pascal Berube had a driving double on Friday. Live harness racing resumes at H3R on Sunday with first race post time at 12:00 noon. For a free race program, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club