Trois-Rivieres, QC – Last year's two-year-old harness racing Quebec-Bred Champion, Babidibou, was able to outkick race favorite Frido PV to the wire in capturing Friday's $10,000 division of the Breeders Trophy Series at the Hippodrome 3R.
It took a lifetime best record for Babidibou and driver Stephane Gendron to beat Frido PV in the second race second leg of the series for three-year-old colt trotters.
Frido PV (Richard Simard) cut all the fractions and they were fast in the one-mile event. Leaving from post three, Frido PV took the field to the opening quarter mile in :27.3, the half in :56.3 and the three-quarters in 1:26.2 before Gendron pulled from third place to go after the race leader.
Those two ended up locking horns as the came down the stretch with Babidibou eking out a neck triumph at the wire in 1:57.2 with the pocket-sitting Laval Titan (Pascal Berube) third.
It was the third win in six starts this year for reigning champion Babidibou, a gelded son of Royalty For Life. He is trained by Maxime Velaye for co-owners Isidoro Russo of Montreal and Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. He paid $6.90 to win.
The $10,000 filly division featured nine starters in the fourth race with the red-hot stable of Denitza Petrova taking top honors.
As expected, Anotherdeal and driver Sylvain Lacaille were the first one on the lead from post seven with Kinnder High Class and driver Pierre Luc Roy making the most of the rail to sit the pocket trip early in second place.
Roy wasted no time in moving Kinnder High Class to the lead after an opening quarter mile in 1:00.4. For the rest of the race no one could pass Kinnder High Class as Lindas Pride (Richard Simard) tried coming first-over, but by the three-quarters in 1:30.4 they ended up dropping into the two-hole spot.
On the final turn Roy let Kinnder High Class have her head and she trotted away from the field, winning with ease by three lengths in 2:00.3. Lindas Pride was second with the race favorite HP Starlette (Stephane Brosseau) third.
Also sired by Royalty For Life, it was the fourth win in six starts this year for Kinnder High Class. She was bred and is owned and trained by Dentiza Petrova of Melbourne and paid $5.40 to win.
Unbeaten Enavant ($2.50), the winningest horse at H3R this season, notched his seventh straight win at H3R Friday in the seventh race pace for driver Stephane Gendron and trainer Maxime Velaye with a 1:54.4 triumph.
Track Notes: Stephane Gendron had the hot hands Friday scoring a driving triple. Both Maxime Velaye and Francis Richard had training double. Live harness racing resumes at H3R on Sunday with first race post time at 1:00 pm. Featured will be the second round of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacers with four divisions, two for colts and two for fillies. For a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
From the Quebec Jockey Club