Final Quebec-bred series prelims held at Hippordome 3R

TROIS RIVIÈRES QUÉ – After being postponed a week by unacceptable air quality, the third and final preliminary round of the Québec-Bred Series for pacers four-years-old and up took place on Sunday (July 2) at Hippodrome Trois Rivières, and previous winners within the Quebec program defeated the current “in-form” horses ahead of the $30,000 Québec-Bred Series Championships next Sunday. Each event raced for $6500.

The last prelim for the Quebec-bred males showed its complexion early, when driver Jonathan Lachance would not let D Gs De Vito  give up the lead to a challenging Mickeymaksomespeed, forcing that challenger into the pocket before a :27 opener. D Gs De Vito, a Sportswriter gelding who won his divisional championship at three in 2019, then received a long sustained challenge from favored Aladdin, fastest pacer of the year at H3R by virtue of his 1:54.2 mile, as the two passed middle stations of :57.1 and 1:26.

In the stretch D Gs De Vito had the most and won in 1:55.1, with late-closing Cyclone Joe 1¼ lengths short in second and Mickeymaksomespeed third ahead of hard-luck Aladdin. Guylaine Fortin trains D Gs De Vito for owner Daniel Suprenant.

The final preliminary for mares saw the Bettors Delight distaff Celia Bayama, who won her Q-bred series at two in 2020, going wire-to-wire, holding off Kiss Me Bad, successful in her two previous prelim starts, in 1:56.2. Stephane Bouchard guided the winning mare through fractions of :28.1, :57.3, and 1:26.3, with the favored Kiss Me Bad having to travel the difficult uncovered route, and Celia Bayama was able to hold on to the wire by three-quarters of a length, winning for trainer Jean-Francois Reid, also co-owner with Marie Claude Reid and Mario Menard.

In the top race for non-Quebec program horses, a $6500 Preferred pace, 10-1 shot Sports Bettor and driver Jocelyn Gendron, just about the hottest driver at the track recently, got soft fractions up front, then was able to defeat potential pocket rocket Twomacsonemach by 1¼ lengths in 1:58.3. The Sportswriter gelding is now two-for-two since recently being acquired by trainer Kevin Maguire and Ecuries Maguire Inc.

All ten races on the Sunday card from downtown TR went in 2:00 or faster. Pascal Berube guided three winners, while Stephane Brosseau and Jonathan Lachance drove two success stories.

Hippodrome Trois Rivières will race this coming Friday at 4 p.m. and on Sunday at noon, the latter card as mentioned containing the $30,000 Québec-Bred Series Championships for both trotters and pacers. For free race programs, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.

from Quebec Jockey Club