Siddhartha grinds out Preferred Pace score

Siddahartha (So Surreal) and harness racing driver Stephanie Brosseau were able to grind out an impressive first-over score in capturing the Preferred Pace Sunday (May 21) afternoon at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec.

The 9^th race feature started off with Mickeymaksomespeed (Jocelyn Gendron) shooting to the early lead from post seven with Platine Alpha (Jimmy Gagnon) sitting in the pocket-seat to the first quarter in :28.2.

Meanwhile, Siddhartha and Brosseau had started up first-over from before the quarter and following the outside cover second-over was the 3/2 race favorite and return winner D Gs De Vito with driver Jonathan Lachance.

Mickeymaksomespeed held his ground past the half mile marker in :57.3 as Siddhartha was working his way up towards the leaders. In the backstretch, Siddhartha picked up the pace as D Gs De Vito was gapping second-over. Then Mickeymaksomespeed began to tire and Siddhartha took over the lead right at the three-quarters in 1:26.3.

Around the final turn, Siddhartha was strong on the lead with D Gs De Vito trying to make up the lost ground but was unable to as Siddhartha went on to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:56.3, the fastest mile on the 10-race card. D Gs De Vito was second with Platine Alpha third.

It was the second win in four start this season for Siddhartha. The seven-year-old gelding is trained and owned by Louis Philippe Turcotte of Trois-Rivieres and he paid $7.60 to win.

SIDDHARTHA REPLAY

The first $100+ winner of the season took place in the 8^th race pace. The 1/5 favorite Goldinthebadlands (Pascal Berube) had cleared to the lead at the three-quarters with 51-1 longshot CL Big Beach (Sunshine Beach) and driver Maxime Dinelle coming up first-over.

In the stretch drive, Goldinthebadlands locked horns with CL Big Beach and won by a half a length in 1:59. But the Judges ruled that Goldinthebadlands interfered with CL Big Beach in the stretch and placed the 51-1 longshot 1^st.

CL Big Beach paid $105.30 to win.

Track Notes: Both Stephane Brosseau and Jonathan Lachance had driving doubles on the afternoon and Yannick Marquis had a training double. Live racing resumes at H3R next Sunday, May 28 with first race post time at 12:00 noon. For more information, visit here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club