Little Diamond impressive in fourth straight win

Trois-Rivieres, QC – Little Diamond (Sportswriter) may be on the smaller side when compared to other harness racing horses, but the two-year-old colt has a huge heart and showed it Sunday (Aug. 28) at the Hippodrome 3R, scoring his fourth straight win.

“His first few starts against older horses was schooling for him,” said winning driver William Roy. “This colt has plenty of fighting spirit and he is better when he has to fight with another horse.”

There was no fighting needed for Little Diamond as he flew to the lead in the 4th race $7,500 first division of the Future Stars Series for colts and fillies Sunday. This was the final leg of the series leading towards the $55,000 finals at H3R on Sunday, September 11.

Little Diamond held the field at bay earlier on with Albert Alpha (Pascal Berube) sitting the pocket seat. Little Diamond cut fractions of :29.1 and :59.2 before Francis Picard tried coming first-over in the backstretch with Kansas Panic. They were unable to gain any ground as Little Diamond led at the three quarters in 1:28.3.

As they came down the stretch, Little Diamond and Roy were easy winners, stopping the teletimer in 1:58.4 with a three and one-quarter length triumph. Albert Alpha was second with Kansas Panic third.

It was a lifetime mark by nearly three seconds for Little Diamond. He is trained by Guy Roy and was bred and is owned by Richard Desrosiers of Massueville. He paid $4.90 to win as the race favorite.

“I had planned to put on a show with him today,” Roy said.

LITTLE DIAMOND REPLAY

The 6th race was the second division of the series for the colts and again the race favorite, this time Telllaurailoveher (All Bets Off) and driver Jonathan Lachance were able to lead from start to finish with a one length triumph in 1:59.2.

The pocket-sitting Kingston Panic (Francis Picard) was second with Maximus GB (Stephane Brosseau) third. YS Cheddar Wheel (Michel Lagace) broke at the start, then caught the field coming first over and pressed Telllaurailoveher to the half mile before fading back. Kingston Panic and Picard then came after Tellaurailoveher to the finish but could not catch them.

It was the maiden victory in five starts for Telllaurailoveher. She is trained by Francis Richard for owner-breeder Litwin Racing Team of Westmount. He paid $3.40 to win. Richard is also the trainer of second place finisher Kingston Panic.

TELLLAURAILOVEHER REPLAY

The first of the two $7,500 divisions of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacing fillies got underway in the 8th race with race favorite Double Gum and driver Jocelyn Gendron flying to the opening quarter mile in :27.4.

With Make Bet SBG (Pierre-Luc Roy) sitting the pocket seat, Double Gum led the way to the half mile in :59. Then in the backstretch Ladycorona (Samuel Fillion) charged first-over and broke stride as Godiva Shadow Girl (Shadow Play) and driver Robert Shepherd took over the chase first-over by three quarters in 1:28.4.

Godiva Shadow Girl then kicked-in another gear and shot right by Double Gum on the final turn to take command and go on to win with ease by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:58.2. Double Gum was second with Make Bet SBG third.

It was a lifetime mark for Godiva Shadow Girl and her second straight win and fourth win in five starts for trainer Lyne Asselin. She was bred and is owned by Raymond Larose of St-Henri-De-Levis. She paid $5.70 to win.

GODIVA SHADOW GIRL REPLAY

In the 10th race second filly division, former H3R leading driver Stephane Gendron returned to the winner’s circle with YS Sensationalcity (Keystone Velocity). They led from start to finish in a lifetime best 2:01.1 by two and one-quarter lengths over the pocket-sitting All She Can (Samuel Fillion) with first-over Got Beach Body (Jonathan Lachance) third.

Trained by Yannick Martel, it was the second win in five starts for YS Sensationalcity. She paid $3.10 to win.

YS SENSATIONALCITY REPLAY

The fastest mile of the day came in the 9th race Preferred Pace that saw Spectrum Seelster (Francis Picard) cut the mile with fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.2 with a determined Goldinthebadlands (Badlands Hanover) and driver Pascal Berube first-over.

On the final turn Pierre-Luc Roy took Siddhartha three-wide and as they all started down the stretch, Goldinthebadlands held off Siddhartha to win by a head in 1:54.4. Snap Test (Stephane Brosseau) was third.

It was the ninth win this year for Goldinthebadlands. He is trained by Marc-Andre Simoneau, who co-owns the horse with Dehardins Noreau Stable and Jean Fontaine. He paid $13.50 to win.

Track Notes: Both Robert Shepherd and Pascal Berube had driving triples on the card while Francis Richard had a training double. The H3R is now racing just on Sunday afternoons. The next live race card will be Sunday, Sept. 4 at 12:00 noon. For more information, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club