Trois-Rivieres, QC – It was a real dogfight from the word go in the sixth race Preferred Pace at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday. When the dust settled, it was a big victory for Hooter Shooter.
Three horses all vied for the lead from the start of the race. Outlaw Turn N Burn (Francis Picard) had the rail post position and was not going to give it up.
Appleby Hanover (Stephane Gendron) was in post two and they wanted the lead too, and don't forget the 2/5 race favorite, G A Speed Sammy with Pascal Berube in post three. They also left the gate early and pressed the early leaders three-wide.
By the opening quarter mile in :27.1, Outlaw Turn N Burn gave way to Appleby Hanover, who then had to give up the lead to a persistent G A Speed Sammy. Then Gendron had to try again for the lead, going first-over after G A Speed Sammy past the half mile marker in 1:26.2.
As they raced down the backstretch the duel continued with Outlaw Turn N Burn back in the fray, going second-over, then three-wide. By the three-quarters in 1:26.2, Hooter Shooter with Stephane Brosseau got into the hunt and briefly was four-wide going into the final turn.
Hooter Shooter was able to clear by horses and was soon first-over against G A Speed Sammy. Hooter Shooter was able to collar the race leader starting down the stretch and went on to win by one and one-half lengths in 1:56.1. G A Speed Sammy was second with Matts Tuition (William Roy) third.
A seven-year-old gelding by Badlands Hanover, Hooter Shooter posted his second win this year for owner/trainer Marc Andre Simoneau of Trois-Rivieres. He paid $6.70 to win.
Ice O Late tipped three-wide at the three-quarter mile pole for harness racing driver Francis Picard and then easily blew by Holiday Party (Pascal Berube) to win the second race Preferred Trot in 2:01.
R Rkadabra and driver Stephane Gendron cut the mile with Holiday Party sitting the pocket trip. Precieuse CC (Claude Beausoleil) came first-over with Voodoo Man (Steeven Genois) second-over and Ice O Late nowhere in the hunt.
Then in the backstretch, Genois sent Voodoo Man three-wide and cleared to first-over as Picard moved Ice O Late three-wide. On the final turn, Voodoo Man faded and that allowed Holiday Party clearance to slip out from second and go to the early lead at the top of the stretch.
Ice O Late and Picard had too much momentum as they started down the stretch and pulled away for a three and one-quarter length triumph. Holiday Party was second with Lucky Promesses (Samuel) Fillion) placed third.
It was the first start of 2020 for Ice O Late. The eight-year-old gelded son of Yankee Glide is trained and co-owned by Luc Chouinard with Daniel Lamarre. He paid $6.90 to win.
The third race Preferred Pace for Fillies and Mares saw Sieras Rose and driver Pierre Luc Roy score an upset win over the 6/5 favorite Sophies Cam.
Sophies Cam led the field from the start for driver Stephane Brosseau with Sieras Rose sitting the perfect two-hole trip. No one could come close to that pair the entire race.
On the final turn, Roy moved Sieras Rose out of the pocket and went after Brosseau with Sophies Cam, collared them in deep stretch to win by a long neck in 1:58.4. Uptown Woman (Breube) was third.
An eight-year-old mare by No Pan Intended, Sieras Rose is trained by Charles Gaudreault for owner Steve Perreault of Mont-Joli. She paid $16.60 to win in her first start of the 2020 season.
Track Notes: Both Stephane Gendron and Francis Picard had driving doubles and Charles Gaudreault a training double. Live racing resumes at the Hippodrome 3R next Friday afternoon with first race post time at 4:00 pm. For more information, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
From the Quebec Jockey Club