Young pacers on display at Hippodrome 3R

Two-year-old harness racing pacing colts and fillies were on display at the Hippodrome 3R Sunday (July 23) afternoon in three divisions of the opening round of the Future Stars Series.

There were two $7,500 divisions for the fillies and one $10,000 division for the colts and geldings. After three preliminary rounds the top eight point earners return Sunday, September 10 for their respective $55,000 finals.

The colts and geldings were featured in the 9^th race where race favorite Olaf Du Lac (Sportswriter) and driver Pierre-Luc Roy took the early lead with Ambitious Mind (Big Jim) and driver Francis Picard enjoying the two-hole trip for most of the mile race.

Cutting fractions of :59.2 and 1:29, Olaf Du Lac was comfortable on the lead until past the three-quarters when Picard came first-over to challenge Olaf Du Lac with Ambitious Mind. Those two locked horns from the top of the stretch all the way to the finish wire where Ambitious Mind came on to win by a head in 1:59. Gold Nugget (William Roy) was third.

It was the second straight win for the unbeaten Ambitious Mind and a lifetime mark. He is trained by Dominique Picard for owners Severine Picard, Martin Bilodeau and Claude Thibault. He was bred by Francis Picard and paid $8.80 to win.

AMBITIOUS MIND REPLAY

The first of the filly divisions was the 5^th race where The Heart Valley (State Treasurer) and driver Francis Picard cut the mile from the start with race favorite Ronda Du Lac (Shadow Play) sat the two-hole trip through fractions of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:29.3.

Then on the final turn, driver Pierre-Luc Roy came out with Ronda Du Lac to take on The Heart Valley and go on to win by one and one-half lengths in 2:00. YS La Belle Vie (Pascal Berube) was third.

It was a lifetime mark and the maiden victory for Ronda Du Lac, who was bred by Roy’s brother, Louis-Philippe Roy and is trained by David Pilon for co-owners LPR, Maude Larouche, Michel Letarte and Jean Allaire. She paid $6.20 to win.

RONDA DU LAC REPLAY

In the 7^th race second division of the Future Stars Series for the pacing fillies, the race belonged to Breedingbankrupsy (Sportswriter) and driver Pascal Berube right from the start.

Leaving from post one, Berube put Breedingbankrupsy right on the lead, forcing Majely Beach Girl (Simon Delisle) into the two-hole at the first quarter in :31.4.

From there Breedingbankrupsy led past the half mile in 1:02.4 and to the three-quarters in 1:33.1, from there she pulled away from the field in the stretch to win with ease by six lengths in 2:03.2. YS Flowernumberten (Francis Picard) was second with Majely Beach Girl third.

It was the maiden start for Breedingbankrupsy, who is trained and was bred by Marc-Andre Simoneau, who co-owns the filly with the Desjardins Noreau Stable and Jean Fontaine. She paid $3.30 to win as the wagering favorite.

BREEDINGBANKRUPSY REPLAY

The fastest mile on the afternoon came in the 8^th race Preferred-Handicap Pace as Aladdin (Shadow Play) was able to wire the field for driver Stephanie Brosseau in 1:54.4. They held the field at bay throughout the mile, winning by two and one-half lengths.

It was the second win this season for Aladdin. He is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner-breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel and paid $4.10 to win as the betting favorite.

Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau had the hot hands Sunday, scoring a driving triple while both Francis Picard and Robert Shepherd had driving doubles. Both David Pilon and Maxime Velaye had training doubles. Live racing resumes at H3R on Friday (July 28) with the second round of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old trotting colts and fillies. Post time Friday is 4:00 pm. For more information, visit here.

For complete race results, click here: Canadian Results

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club