21-1 long shot rocks Preferred Pace

You Rock Girl Kir and harness racing driver Stephane Gendron wanted to control the pace and after two lead changes, upset the field at odds of 21-1 in capturing the Fillies and Mare Preferred-Handicap Pace Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R.

It was You Rock Girl Kir and Gendron using the rail to grab the early, then letting Sophies Cam (Stephane Brosseau) take command at the quarter in :27.4. Gendron then quarter moved with You Rock Girl Kir and took command of the race.

From the start, Kiss Me Bad and trainer-driver Steven Gagnon left from post eight, but ended up parked three-wide as they tried to march on towards the leaders.

By the half mile in :58.1, Warrawee Speedy (Samuel Fillion) came first-over and they were able to keep Kiss Me Bad parked three-wide down the backstretch with both horses moving up on race leader You Rock Girl Kir to the three-quarters in 1:28.

On the final turn, Steven Gagnon was able to keep Kiss Me Bad going three-wide the entire mile, but starting down the stretch You Rock Girl Kir kicked in another gear and went on to win by two and one-half lengths in 1:57. Wild River Swan (Pierre-Luc Roy) closed to be second with Sophie’s Cam third.

YOU ROCK GIRL KIR REPLAY

It was a lifetime mark for You Rock Girl Kir, a five-year-old mare by Shadow Play, owned and trained by Andre Benault of Sherbrooke. She paid $45.90 to win. It was her third victory this year.

After driver Stephane Brosseau won the 2^nd race pace, he was greeted in the winner’s circle by former driver Lorenzo Fugere, who was celebrating his 99^th birthday at the racetrack.

Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau led all horsemen with a driving triple Sunday. Pascal Berube had a driving double. Live racing returns to H3R next Saturday, September 26 with first race post time at 12:10 pm. For more information, click here.

By Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club