The second highest win payoff of the year at Hippodrome 3R took place in the seventh race $10,000 Breeders Trophy Series third leg for three-year-old pacing fillies on Sunday (Aug. 21) as Got Charlie and trainer/driver Daniel Dulude upset the field at odds of 36-1.
Shesrockandfame and driver Samuel Fillion were first on the lead in the co-feature with the race favourite, undefeated Majo Sport Bella (Jonathan Lachance), in the pocket seat to the first quarter-mile in :28.4.
Sports Impression (Stephane Brosseau) started up first-over giving cover to Got Charlie, the longest shot on the board, as they passed the half in :59.1.
They raced down the backstretch with Majo Sport Bella still boxed in on the rail and then Dulude took Got Charlie three-wide past the three-quarters in 1:27.1.
Around the final turn, Got Charlie cleared Sports Impression and kept Majo Sport Bella trapped as she went after Shes Rockandfame.
Starting down the stretch, Lachance found clearance with the favourite but Got Charlie had the momentum and went on to win by one length in 1:59. Majo Sport Bella settled for second with Shes Rockandfame third.
Unraced at age two for owner/breeder Bruno Lepage of Beauharnois, Que., Got Charlie broke her maiden in just her third lifetime start after making miscues in the opening legs of the series. The Sportswriter-Jordans Jewell filly paid $75.60 to win.
Going into Sunday’s third and final preliminary leg of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Hippodrome 3R, Aladdin only had one second place finish in the series and needed a big mile in order to be eligible for the $65,000 final on Sept. 12.
Not only did Aladdin and driver Samuel Fillion win the co-feature race, but they stamped themselves as the horse to beat in the final.
The $10,000 fifth race began with Aladdin leaving from post two with Chikaboom (Francis Picard) also on the move from post seven. Fillion forced Picard to take a seat behind him by the opening quarter-mile in :27.3.
Approaching the half-mile, Kiwon Waldron went first-over with Ritchie Alpha, giving cover to Jack Panic (Robert Shepherd) past the half-mile in :58. Then in the backstretch, Shepherd moved three-wide with Jack Panic past the three-quarters in 1:28.
By the top of the stretch, the horses were three-across as they headed for home, but Aladdin proved to be the strong horse, kicking in a :28.2 last quarter-mile to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.2. Jack Panic was second with Chikaboom third.
Aladdin earned his second straight win and fifth from eight starts during his debut season. Trained by Maxime Velaye, the Shadow Play-Eloge gelding was bred and is owned by Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, Que. He paid $4.20 to win as the wagering favourite.
The win marked a personal achievement for Velaye.
"I felt very good with the win today," said Velaye. "Especially because it was my 200th win as a trainer so it made the win more special.
"We have not yet decided where he will race his next start," he added. "It will either be at H3R or at Rideau Carleton before he goes to the final."
The sixth race $6,500 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace ended in a great finish with co-favourite Snap Test and driver Stephane Brosseau prevailing by a neck.
Snap Test sat the two-hole trip as Goldinthebadlands (Jonathan Lachance) cut the mile with stablemate entry Hooter Shooter (Steeven Genois) first-over and then co-favourite Siddhartha (Samuel Fillion) moving three-wide on the final turn.
As the field headed down the stretch, Goldinthebadlands began to bear out and that gave Brosseau just enough room to squeeze by on the inside with Snap Test and win in 1:56. Goldinthebadlands was second with Hooter Shooter third.
The win was the third straight at 3R, for Snap Test and his fifth of the season from 28 starts. The seven-year-old Test Flight gelding is trained by Jean-Francois Reid and partners Michel Letarte and Jean Allaire. He paid $5 to win.
Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau led all drivers Sunday with a driving triple. Samuel Fillion and Robert Shepherd each had driving doubles. Live harness racing resumes next Friday, Aug. 26 at 3R with the third leg of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old trotting colts and fillies. Post time is 4 p.m.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)