53-1 longshot upsets at Hippodrome 3R

Trois-Rivieres, QC – The highest win payout of the 2022 season took place in the 5^th race pace at the Hippodrome 3R Friday (June 17) when Sagali (Shanghai Phil) and driver Jocelyn Gendron won a three-horse photo by a nose at odds of 53-1 in 2:01.2.

It was his first win in ten starts this year for Sagali and he paid $109.70 to win. The prior record win price this season was $60.60 set by Lady My Luck (Francis Picard) on May 8, 2022.

The 5^th race started off with a three-way battle for the lead with Pretty Diva (Pascal Berube) on the early lead with race favorite Stellar Feller (Stephane Brosseau) first-over and then three-wide was Notaword N (Jessica Turenne) to the first quarter in :27.2.

Stellar Fella made the lead, but Notaword N was still parked out first-over as they went by the half mile in :57. Meanwhile, while all this was going on up front, Gagnon and Sagali sat fourth on the wood saving ground.

Past the three-quarters in 1:28.1, Stellar Feller was still on top, but now three-wide was Pretty Diva and four-wide was Candid Cameron (Daniel Delisle.

As they came down the stretch, Gendron found room with Sagali and just got up at the wire. Stellar Feller was second with Notaword N third. Time of the mile was 2:01.2.

Sagali is trained and owned by Pierre Piedeau of St-Alexandre.

SAGALI REPLAY

In the $6,000 Preferred Trot it was the lone filly in the field, the Princess of Trotting at H3R, Stella Alpha (Royalty For Life) and driver Pascal Berube, who stole the show as the 3/5 wagering favorite.

The 6^th race feature saw Stella Alpha leave for Berube and take the lead away from Hetties Magic (Jocelyn Gendron) by the first quarter in :29.

Then it was all Stella Alpha on the front end as she cut the mile to the half in :59. Then the skies opened up and a torrid rain storm came down as the field reached the three-quarters in 1:29.3 with Stella Alpha up by three lengths.

In the stretch, Stella Alpha did not mind the rain as she went on to win by four open lengths in 2:00.2. P C Heisenberg (Marie-Claude Auger) was second with Bonfire Bash (Robert Shepherd) third.

It was the fifth win in ten starts this year for Stella Alpha. The three-year-old filly is trained by Sylvain Tremblay and the Quebec-Bred Champion from 2021 was bred and is owned by the Alpha Stables. She paid $3.40 to win.

STELLA ALPHA REPLAY

Track Notes: Driver Pascal Berube led the day scoring four winners in the eight races. Trainer Serge Nadeau had a training double. The first two-year-old to make a pari-mutuel start in 2022 in Quebec was C Un Bon Deal (Wheeling N Dealin) in the 1^st race trot Friday at H3R. Bred, owned and driven by Jerome Lombart of Bromont, C Un Bon Deal started from the rail and stayed trotting the entire mile, passing three horses to finish 6^th, race timed in 2:03.4. He went off at odds of 37-1. Live racing resumes on Sunday at H3R starting at 12:00 noon. Featured are Preferred events for both the mares and horses on the pace. For a free race program, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club