Trois-Rivieres, QC – Undefeated Whitecookie posted his sixth straight triumph with an easy three-length triumph in a $7,500C division of the Future Stars Series at the Hippodrome 3R.
Starting from post four in the third race, the first of two divisions of the Future Stars for two-year-old pacing colts, Whitecookie went right to the lead for owner, trainer and driver, Marie Claude Auger of Trois-Rivieres.
Cutting fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:28.1, Whitecookie held the field at bay and then pulled away in the stretch to win in a lifetime best clocking of 1:57. The pocket-sitting Kinnder Big Boss (Pierre Luc Roy) was second with Retour Au Jeu (Stephane Gendron) third.
Sired by Windfall Blue Chip, Whitecookie looks to make a clean sweep of the Future Stars Series and will headline the $55,000C final coming up on Sunday, September 8. He paid $2.60 to win.
The sixth race second colt division saw Eclat De Rire and driver Stephane Gendron do just what Whitecookie did earlier on the race card, lead from start to finish.
Only the fractions were a bit slower for Eclat De Rire, who also pulled away from the field on the final turn, winning by five open lengths in a lifetime best 1:59.4. HP Beach Dragon (Stephane Brosseau) sat the pocket-trip and was second with Beach Bayama (Marc Belanger) third.
It was the second win in four lifetime starts for Eclat De Rire, a son of Leader Bayama, who is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. He paid $2.90 to win as the race favorite.
It looked like the front end was the place to be Sunday until the seventh race, $10,000C Future Stars division for filly pacers with a field of nine going to post on the half mile track.
Lotus Sena and driver Pascal Berube, seeking their fourth straight win for trainer/owner Serge Nadeau, had led the field through fractions of :28.4, 1:01 and 1:31.1.
That was when the pocket-sitting SOS Cupcake and driver Stephane Gendron pulled on the right line and came after Lotus Sena and passed her by the top of the stretch. She then went on to win by two and three-quarter lengths in 2:01.4. Lotus Sena was second with Acaena De Chakrika (Stephane Brosseau) third.
It was the first career victory for SOS Cupcake. The daughter of Shanghai Phil has finished second in her last three starts, moved the stable of trainer Francis Richard and got her first win.
SOS Cupcake is owned by the Francis Richard Stable, Inc., Auclair-Gaston Bibeau Farm and Dr. John Bradbury. She paid $4.10 to win as the favorite.
Track Notes: Five of the ten races Sunday saw horses score lifetime marks as the H3R track continues to be in perfect shape. Drivers Stephane Gendron and Stephane Brosseau each scored driving doubles. Live racing resumes at H3R next Friday, August 30. It will be the last Friday night race card of the season. First race post time is 7:00 pm. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club