LPR wins five on Quebec Championship Day at H3R

Trois-Rivieres, QC – A packed house was on hand at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday (Sept. 11) for the richest day of harness racing in all of Quebec as the track hosted the $480,000 Quebec-Bred Championship finals for two and three-year-old trotters and pacers.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy ruled the day, winning five races, four of them Championship Finals. It was just one year ago that he also won five races on the same stake’s day.

The record for total track handle was also rewritten Sunday with $267,818 wagered on the 12-race program. The prior record was $255,346 set on December 28, 1999 for 12 races.

Here is a synopsis of the stake’s finals and Invitational races Sunday.

2nd Race 55,000 Final Two-year-old Trotting Fillies

Driver Robert Shepherd was able to come first-over in the backstretch and then lead the rest of the race with HP Run For Dan (Alarm Detector), holding off the pocket-sitting Tite Beer En Mass (Louis-Philippe Roy (LPR) to win by two and one-quarter lengths in 2:02.3. Kenogami Courage (Stephane Brosseau) was third.

It was a lifetime mark and the second career win for HP Run For Dan. She is trained by Isabelle Darveau and was bred by Claude Hamel, Danielle Fournier and Rene Bourassa. She is owned by Hamel and Fournier and paid $5.10 to win as the betting favorite.

“I just hoped she would stay trotting,” Shepherd said. “Once we were past the first quarter, I knew we were pretty safe and could go for the lead.”

HP RUN FOR DAN REPLAY

4th Race $65,000 Final Three-year-old

Royalty Beer (Royalty For Life) was the 2021 Quebec Champion at age 2 and now is the 2022 Champion as well. With Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky, they not only wired the field, but blew everyone away after the three-quarters, winning by nine and one-half lengths in a lifetime best 1:58.2. Sammy Justice (Pascal Berube) was second with Kenogami Rebel (Stephane Brosseau) third.

It was Royalty Beer’s fourth win of the year. He is trained by Jean-Francis Maguire, who co-owns him with the Maguire Stable, Inc. of Sainte-Marie. He was bred by Maguire Stable, Inc. and paid just $2.10 to win as the overwhelming favorite.

ROYALTY BEER REPLAY

6th Race $65,000 Final Three-year-old Trotting Fillies

After race favorite Stella Alpha (Pascal Berube) broke stride on the first turn going for the lead, La Bromontoise and driver Jerome Lombart took command of the race with HP Felicity (Muscle Mass) and driver Robert Shepherd sitting the pocket seat until the backstretch when they pulled the pocket and had the lead by the three-quarters. She went on to win by three and three-quarter lengths in 2:01.4. La Bromontoise was second and Stella Alpha came back to finish third.

It was the third win this year for HP Felicity ($6.00), who is trained by Isabelle Darveau for owners and breeders Claude Hamel and Michel Demphousse.

HP FELICITY REPLAY

7th Race $55,000 Final Two-year-old Pacing Colts

Albert Alpha (He’s Watching) picked the perfect time to win his maiden race for driver Pascal Berube after seven starts as the colt was able to lead from start to finish in 2:00.4. Albert Alpha was able to hold off the late charge of the pocket-sitting race favorite Kingston Panic (LPR) to win by a neck. Stablemate Kansas Panic (Robert Shepherd) was third.

Trained by Sylvain Tremblay, Albert Alpha is a homebred for Tremblay’s Alpha Stables and co-owners Anne Marie Demers and Yves and Yvon Laprise. He was the first non-favorite to win on card and paid $12.30 to win.

ALBERT ALPHA REPLAY

8th Race $65,000 Final Three-year-old Pacing Fillies

LPR made it a driving triple on the day as he sent Shes Rockandfame (He’s Watching) right to the lead from the rail and held it the entire race, holding off the pocket-sitting 25-1 Godiva Me Amour (Robert Shepherd) by a half a length and also 45-1 Sports Impression (Daniel Dube) was third in the photo. Time of the race was 1:59.2.

Trained by Francis Richard, it was the fourth win this year for Shes Rockandfame ($3.10), who is owned by Investment K F B of Andre St Laurent. She was bred by Lisa Barbonneau of Mirabel.

SHES ROCKANDFAME REPLAY

9th Race $55,000 Final Two-year-old Trotting Colts

Daniel Dube did not come up to H3R from New Jersey and not go home without at least one win on the day and he did it with Timonier (Lookslikeachpndale), who led from start to finish in a romp by five and a half open lengths in 2:00.3. Auguste (Pascal Berube) was second with Kinnder Thinktwice (Stephane Brosseau) third.

It was the fourth win for Timonier, who is trained by Jacques Dupont for breeder and owner Jean Dessureault of Candiac. He paid $3.10 to win as the betting favorite.

TIMONIER REPLAY

10th Race $55,000 Final Two-year-old Pacing Fillies

LPR put on a show with his homebred filly Pocahontas Du Lac (Betterthancheddar). Race favorite YS Poisson Davril (Daniel Dube) cut the mile and by the half LPR had moved Pocahontas Du Lac first-over and came after YS Poisson. They raced neck and neck past the three-quarters and then LPR found another gear and Pocahontas Du Lac pulled away to win by three and three-quarter lengths in a lifetime best 1:57. Make Bet SBG (Stephane Brosseau) was second with Godiva Shadow Girl (Robert Shepherd) third.

It was the fourth career win for Pocohontas Du Lac. She is trained by Francis Richard for co-owners LPR, Pierre-Luc Roy, Maude Larouche and Jean Allaire. She paid $13.20 to win.

Earlier this week, LPR said ““I believe Pocahontas will show us a little more speed than she did in her elims.”

And he was most certainly on the mark with a lifetime record.

POCAHONTAS DU LAC REPLAY

11th Race $65,000 Final Three-year-old Pacing Colts

LPR always puts on a show when he comes back to drive at H3R, and he did it for sure in this final. Leaving from post eight with Aladdin (Shadow Play), they were able to cut the mile, hold off a determined effort first-over by HP Momentum (Colin Kelly) and scoot away with a three and three-quarter length triumph in 1:55.1. Jack Panic (Robert Shepherd) was second with HP Momentum third.

It was the fourth straight win and seventh victory of the year for Aladdin, who is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner-breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, paying $6.80 to win.

ALADDIN REPLAY

There was three $10,000 Invitationals races Sunday. The trot saw four-time Quebec Champion Capteur De Reve (Muscle Mass) and driver Stephane Brosseau lead the field from the start and barely hold off the pocket-sitting Run Like Hill (Louis-Philppe Roy by a nose in 1:57. Frido PV (Yves St Jacques) was third. It was the sixth straight win for Capteur De Reve who paid $4.10 to win as the race favorite. He is trained by Maxime Velaye and was bred and is owned by the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel.

The Invitational Pace saw the Rideau Carleton Raceway invader, The Light Speed (Moon Beam) make the most of starting from the rail for trainer-driver Guy Gagnon, leading from start to finish in 1:54. Second by one and three-quarter lengths was the pocket-sitting Chantee (LPR) with Major Hill (Pascal Berube) third.

It was the second straight win and tenth of the year for The Light Speed, who is bred and owned by Michel Nolette of Princeville and paid $3.00 to win as the wagering favorite.

Twin B Betty (Bettor’s Delight) and driver Robert Shepherd were at their best in the last race as the eight-year-old mare wired the field by one and one-half lengths to win the Invitational Pace for Mares in 1:54.2. Pocket-sitting Platine Alpha (Pascal Berube) was second with Coz Im Special (Michel Lagace) third.

It was the third win this year for the mare, who is trained by Jean-Francois Maguire. She paid $6.50 to win for owners 9299 0522 Quebec, Inc., Jean-Francois Maguire and Julie Melenfant.

Track Notes: LPR ended the day with five winners, four in the Championship finals. Robert Shepherd had a driving triple. Trainer Francis Richard led the way with a training triple while Isabelle Darveau, Maxime Velaye, and Jean-Francois Maguire all had training doubles. There is no more Friday racing at H3R. The next live race card will be Sunday, September 18 at 12:00 noon. For more information about H3R, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

By Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club