Trois-Rivieres, QC – Jack Panic (Sportswriter) scored his maiden victory with a 27-1 shocker in winning his $10,000 division of the Breeders Trophy Series Sunday (July 31) at the Hippodrome 3R.
It was the second leg of the series for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies.
The 7th race co-feature started off with Ritchie Alpha and driver Pascal Berube going to the early lead with Aladdin (Samuel Fillion) also wanting the front and just as they were neck and neck with Ritchie Alpha, Aladdin went off-stride before the quarter in :29.3 and was out of the race with Le Massif (Simon Delisle) still sitting the pocket trip.
Ritchie Alpha and Berube then had control of the pace and was then challenged first-over by HP Momentum and driver Jonathan Lachance as they passed the half mile in :58.4.
Meanwhile, Jack Panic and driver Robert Shepherd were in seventh place racing on the wood.
In the backstretch, Titanium Alpha (Stephane Brosseau) was second-over with Chikaboom (Francis Picard) third over.
With HP Momentum no forward moment first-over, Robert Shepherd swung three-wide from seventh place with Jack Panic at the three quarters in 1:27.3.
As they raced around the final turn, Le Massif and Delisle pulled from the pocket and came after Ritchie Alpha and it looked like La Massif was going to beat them to the wire until a speeding rocket named Jack Panic ate up ground in the stretch and blew by the race leaders to win by two lengths in 1:57.3. Le Massif was second with Ritchie Alpha third.
JACK PANIC REPLAY
It was only the third lifetime start for Jack Panic and his first win for trainer Francis Richard. The gelding was bred and is owned by Brian Paquet of Quebec City. He paid $56.70 to win. It was the 5th time this season that a horse has paid more than $50.00 to win.
The fillies competed in their $10,000 division of the Breeders Trophy Series in the 4th race where the 1/5 favorite, Shes Rockandfame (He’s Watching) and driver Samuel Fillion easily led from start to finish in 2:00.4.
The pocket-sitting Godiva Me Amour (Robert Shepherd) was second with AJ Dalia (Marie-Claude Auger) third.
It was the second win for Shes Rockandfame, who is trained by Francis Richard for Investissement K F B of Andre St Laurent. She paid $2.70 to win.
SHES ROCKANDFAME REPLAY
Siddhartha (So Surreal) and driver Stephane Brosseau followed Goldinthebadlands (Francis Picard) three-wide in the backstretch in the 9th race Perferred-Handicap Pace. Both horses cleared to the lead on the final turn and then Siddhartha caught and passed Goldinthebadlands in the stretch to win by a half-length in 1:56. Chantee (Samuel Fillion) was third.
The 8th race Preferred-Handicap Trot saw four-time Quebec Champion Capteur De Reve (Muscle Mass) and driver Samuel Fillion lead from start to finish, winning by two lengths in 2:01.1. Fix A Drink (Robert Shepherd) was second with Frido PV (Yves St Jacques) third.
It was the second win of the year for Capteur De Reve, who is trained by Maxime Velaye for the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel. He paid $3.00 to win as the betting favorite.
Track Notes: Both Robert Shepherd and Samuel Fillion scored driving triples Sunday. Pascal Berube had a double and Francis Richard had a training double. Live racing resumes at H3R next Friday with first race post time at 4:00 pm. For more information about H3R in both French and English, click here.
By Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club