All three favorites lose in H3R co-features

Trois-Rivieres, QC – The race favorites did not fare well at all Sunday (May 29) afternoon at the Hippodrome 3R, especially in the three co-featured harness racing events.

In the 5^th race Preferred Pace for mares, it was the gray, La Petite Grise, who was the 1/9 race favorite for driver Pascal Berube and she raced like her odds figured, until the finish wire.

Leaving from the second tier in post nine, La Petite Grise worked her way to the outside at the start and came first-over against Fancy Girl (Francis Picard) and finally cleared by after a :27.3 opening quarter mile.

Coming to the half mile Shemaksmefelunreal (Kiwon Waldron) started up first-over with Whitemountaincammy (Yankee Cam) sitting contently on the wood in fourth place for Stephane Brosseau. They went by the half in :57.2 as then in the backstretch Shemaksmefelunreal was not gaining on La Petite Grise, who tripped the teletimer at the three-quarters in 1:27.

As Le Petite Grise looked strong starting down the stretch, Brosseau had room, moved Whitemountaincammy in the clear and came charging down the stretch to beat La Petite Grise by a half a length in 1:56,4. Fancy Girl was third.

It was the first win in four starts this year for Whitemountaincammy. The four-year-old mare is trained by Louis-Philipp Turcotte for owner-breeder Yves Gaudet of Notre Dame Des Bois. She paid $29.90 to win.

WHITEMOUNTAINCAMMY REPLAY

Next was the 7^th race Preferred-Handicap Trot and P C Heisenberg with driver Marie-Claude Auger was first in front with XOXO (Angus Hall), who was sold last week and was being driven for the first time by Kiwon Waldron, trotted first-over and cleared to the lead after the first quarter in :28.4.

XOXO and Waldron were then comfortable on the lead going to the half mile in :59.1. It was just before the half that driver Pascal Berube came first-over with the race favorite Stella Alpha and Laa Dee Gaa (Stephane Brosseau) following second-over.

As they reached the three-quarters in 1:29, Stella Alpha was unable to gain on XOXO. Waldron then urged his mare in the stretch and they pulled away for a two length triumph in 1:59.4. Laa Dee Gaa got by Stella Alpha for second place with Stella Alpha third.

It was a lifetime mark and the second win this year for XOXO, a four-year-old mare, now owned by D Racing Stable of Middletown, NY. She paid $9.40 to win.

XOXO REPLAY

The biggest upset of the day came in the 8^th race Preferred-Handicap Pace featuring the 7/5 favorite, National Debt (Pascal Berube) starting from post eight.

Spectrum Seelster and driver Francis Picard started off the show scooting to the early lead from post two with Western Phil (Jocelyn Gendron) grabbing the two-hole spot to the first quarter in :27.2.

Kiwon Waldron then was flushed out first-over with Mickeymaksomespeed and Siddhartha and driver Steeven Genois taking the second-over trip past the half mile marker in :56.3.

As they raced to the three-quarters in 1:25.1, Siddhartha and Genois was not waiting any more on Mickeymaksomespeed and tipped three-wide. National Debt was third over on the outside but had trouble keeping up with Siddhartha (So Surreal).

They went three-across around the final turn and down the stretch with Siddhartha and Spectrum Seelster battling it out to the finish with Siddhartha winning by a neck in 1:55. Histoire Enchantee (Simon Delisle) closed well to be third.

A six-year-old gelding, it was the first win in six starts this year for Siddhartha. He is owned and trained by Louis-Philippe Turcotte of Trois-Rivieres, who also won with Whitemountaincammy. Siddhartha paid $6.70 to win.

SIDDHARTHA REPLAY

Track Notes: Only three race favorites were able to win in ten races Sunday. Both Pascal Berube and Steeven Genois had driving doubles and Louis-Philippe Turcotte had a training double. The Hippodrome 3R will begin live harness racing on Friday’s starting next week, June 3. Post time will be at 4:00 pm. For more information, visit here. 

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club