At Hippodrome 3R on Sunday afternoon (July 7), Uncontrollable (Control The Moment) captured the $6,500 Preferred harness racing pace, overcoming a challenging journey to clock the fastest mile of the year at the Quebec half-miler in 1:54.1.
With red-hot driver Marie-Claude Auger at the reins, Uncontrollable, a 15-1 long shot, settled into fourth early as the favoured Twin B Powerall took the lead shortly after the start, before yielding to second choice Frozen Hanover at the :28 quarter. Frozen Hanover had Uncontrollable coming up uncovered to challenge at the :57.1 half, and after a prolonged battle, Uncontrollable surpassed the pacesetter near the 1:25.3 three-quarters.
Despite the lead, Uncontrollable was not in the clear yet, as Twin B Powerball found space to challenge from behind. However, Auger urged Uncontrollable to hold off the favourite, securing a three-quarters-of-a-length victory. Louis Philippe Turcotte trains the winner for owners Steve Perreault and Johanne Dechamplin.
The stakes season at Hippodrome 3R kicks off next week with the first round of the Trophée des Éleveurs Series for three-year-olds, followed by the Coupe de L’Avenir Series for two-year-olds. Both series will culminate in Championship races on Sunday, September 8, with $480,000 in purse money up for grabs, making it one of the most thrilling days on the local calendar.
Sunday’s co-feature, the third race, was a $5,800 event for promising two-year-old pacing fillies prepping for their Coupe de L’Avenir debut in two weeks. Justine Ray (Shadow Play – Woes Jet Filly) led from start to finish from post five, winning wire-to-wire in 2:03 for driver Pascal Berube, trainer Yves St Jacques, and owner Michel Letendre. Justine Ray took the lead off the first turn, reached the quarter in :30.2, and slowed the pace to half in 1:03. She then reached three-quarters in 1:34 before sprinting home in :29, exacting revenge on second-place finisher Myvailiam, who had bested her in a qualifying race.
Leading driver Berube celebrated four wins in the afternoon, while feature winner Marie-Claude Auger had two. David Pilon was the only trainer to harness a pair of winners.
Hippodrome 3R continues its Friday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at noon schedule this week. The three-year-olds will commence the 2024 stakes season with the first-round preliminaries in the Trophée des Éleveurs Series, with trotters racing on Friday and pacers on Sunday. Notably, Voukefalas, who won the Graduate Series Final at The Meadowlands on Saturday evening in 1:47.3, along with 2-3 finishers No Control and Act Fast, are eligible for 3R’s signature race, the $200,000 Prix d’Été, set for Sunday afternoon, August 16.