Hippodrome 3R: All-age track record for trotters lowered

The fastest trotting mile in the history of the Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, was set Friday afternoon (Sept. 13) as Royalty Beer (Royalty For Life), with driver Pascal Berube, won the feature event in a romp in 1:54.

It tied the lifetime mark for Royalty Beer, a 5-year-old gelding, but totally erased the previous record of 1:56 by a full two seconds. Both Pablo Angus (2008) and Michelangelo (2014) co-held the record.

The seventh race $6,500 trot for Quebec-breds saw Royalty Beer and Berube leave from post six and take command of the field by the opening quarter mile in 29 1/5 with La Bromontoise (Jerome Lombart) sitting second. By the half mile in 57 3/5, Royalty Beer began to get separation from the rest of the field, pulling away to a six length lead by the three-quarters in 1:25 2/5.

Berube then urged his trotter on and Royalty Beer was up to the task, winning by 12 3/4 lengths, the last quarter in 28 3/5. Only For Justice (Francis Picard) was second with Frido PV (Denis St Pierre) third.

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Owned and trained by Jean-Francois Maguire and bred by the Maquire Stable of Sainte-Marie, Quebec, it was the second straight win and fourth victory of the year for Royalty Beer.

In the ninth race trot, A R Hercule (Rose Run Hooligan) and owner-trainer-driver Jean-Paul Rousse scored the second highest win payoff of the season, tallying in 2:01 2/5 at odds of 43-1, paying $88.40 to win.

Track Notes: Robert Shepherd had the hot hands at H3R Friday with a driving triple and Pascal Berube had a driving double. Live racing resumes at H3R this Sunday (Sept. 15) with a ten-race program starting at 12:00 noon. Sunday is National Caretaker Appreciation Day at H3R sponsored by Standardbred Canada and the Quebec Jockey Club.

--press release (Quebec Jockey Club)--