With sunny skies and 70 degrees, the racing conditions were perfect at Hippodrome 3R on Friday (Sept. 2) for horses that like racing on the front-end. Such was the case in both co-feature races and in five of the 10 races on the card.
In the sixth race $6,000 Preferred 3 Trot, Brady Bunch and driver Stephane Gendron made the most of starting from post one and shot right to the early lead with Bonfire Bash (Francis Picard) grabbing the two-hole spot to the first quarter in :29.
Race favourite Kinnder Dangerzone and driver Stephane Brosseau went first-over with Goaltender (Pascal Berube) following second-over and they passed the half-mile in :59.4.
In the backstretch, Kinnder Dangerzone could not collar Brady Bunch as he led the field past the three-quarters in 1:29. Heading down the stretch, Brady Bunch pulled away from the field to win by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:59.2. Kinnder Dangerzone was second with Royalty Beer (Kevin Maguire) third.
The win was the first in three starts this year for Brady Bunch. The six-year-old Muscle Mass gelding is trained by Jacques Dupont for Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc. of Sainte-Julie, Que. He paid $7.30 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
In the ninth race $6,500 Mares Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace, race favourite Platine Alpha (pictured above) and driver Jimmy Gagnon controlled the pace from start to finish.
Parked out to the opening quarter in :27.4 by Sophies Cam (Stephane Brosseau), Platine Alpha was once again at her best on the front end. She led to the half-mile in :58.4 and then, with Arrhythmogenic (Daniel St Pierre) first-over followed by Coz Im Special (Michel Lagace), Platine Alpha kept them all at bay.
At the three-quarters in 1:28.2, Coz Im Special went three-wide and was parked that way around the final turn. As they started down the stretch, it was all Platine Alpha, winning by nearly two lengths in 1:57.2. Coz Im Special was second (for the sixth straight time) with Sophies Cam third.
Platine Alpha now boasts seven wins this year from 20 starts for trainer Sylvain Tremblay, who also owns and bred the four-year-old Control The Moment mare (as Ecurie Alpha). She paid $4.20 to win.
Track Notes: Pascal Berube had a driving double and Francis Richard a training double on Friday. This Sunday is Caretaker Appreciation Day at Hippodrome 3R. All caretakers competing at 3R will get special post parade and winner circle announcements and there will be prize packages for caretakers of winning horses, drawing for prizes, a free lunch and more. First race post time Sunday is 12 noon.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)