YS Sensationalcity is sensational in Regional Fair Finals

The Quebec Regional Fair Circuit held its seasonal harness racing finals at the Hippodrome 3R Saturday (Oct. 7) afternoon and despite rainy conditions, track record holder YS Sensationalcity (Keystone Velocity) with driver Roger Guilbeault, stole the show.

The 4^th race feature started off with Velocity City (Dany Mainguy) going to the early lead with Mach N Cheddar (David Pilon) getting the two-hole seat as they went by the opening quarter mile in :28.3 over the good track with a two second allowance by the Judges.

As they raced to the half mile in :58.4, Better Kissthe Men (Simon Delisle) came first-over and then dropped into third place while race favorite YS Sensationalcity and Guilbeault then came first-over from fourth place in the backstretch and with a blast of speed took the lead away from Velocity City at the three-quarters in 1:29.1.

By the top of the stretch, YS Sensationalcity was leading by five lengths and then took off down the stretch, winning in a romp by 13 lengths in 1:58.3. Mach N Cheddar was second with Better Kissthe Men finishing third.

YS SENSATIONALCITY REPLAY

For YS Sensationalcity, it was her seventh win this year for owner-trainer Michel Allard, who co-owns the three-year-old filly with Kapildeo Singh and paid $2.50 to win. Her mile was the fastest on the race card.

As for winning driver Roger Guilbeault, it was only his third start of the season and his third straight win. He has made only 14 career starts with six wins.

In the 9^th race challenge final for women drivers, it was CL Big Beach (Sunshine Beach) and driver Nancy Auger beating stablemate Mach Play (Guylaine Gagnon).

Mach Play cut the mile with fractions of :28.3 and :58.3 before Auger came first-over from the pocket seat before the three-quarters in 1:29.4.

The two stablemates then raced neck and neck around the final turn and down the stretch until CL Big Beach pulled away at the wire to win by one length in 2:01.1. Mach Play was second with Uncontrollable (Johanne Dechamplain) third.

CL BIG BEACH REPLAY

It was the seventh win this year for CL Big Beach. The six-year-old gelding is trained by Nancy Auger for owner Joel Gagnon and paid $2.90 to win as the race favorite.

Then in the Trainers Challenge Final Pace with trainers doing the driving, Stock (Sylvain Tremblay) and Wild River Swan (John Bradbury) battled against each other from the very start.

Stock went to the early lead with D J Power (Jean Marc Roy) in second and Wild River Swan (Sportswriter) parked on the outside from the very start.

Those two would battle neck and neck to the quarter in :30.2, the half in 1:01.1 and the three-quarters in 1:32.1. Then down the stretch they fought until nearing the finish where Wild River Swan, parked out the entire mile, went on to win by one length in 2:03.2. Stock was second with Outlaw Turn N Burn (Dominique Picard) third.

It was the third win of the year for Wild River Swan, who is owned by Dr. John Bradbury.

WILD RIVER SWAN REPLAY

Track Notes: Sylvain Tremblay was the top horseman on the day as he drove two winners and trained three winners on the race card. Live racing resumes at H3R tomorrow (Sunday, Oct. 8) with a nine-race program headlined by the 6^th race Preferred Pace where GA Speed Gaby goes for his fifth straight win against return winner D Gs De Vito and Partyintheshadows. Post time is 12:00 noon. For more information and a free race program, visit here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club