Hippodrome 3R: Quebec Championship finals featured on Sunday

On Sunday afternoon the Quebec Jockey Club, at the Hippodrome 3R, played host to the C$480,000 Championship finals for the Breeders Cup Series and Future Stars Series.

It was the richest day of horse racing in all of Quebec, with purses totaling over C$500,000 for the afternoon. Each series featured four divisions for trotter and pacers.

Here is a breakdown of each of the Championship Finals:

C$65,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot Final

It was a two-horse race from the start with track record holder Cesar Duharas and driver Pascal Berube shooting to the early lead with race favorite Only For Justice (Stephane Brosseau) grabbing the early two-hole spot by the opening quarter mile in 28 3/5.

Brosseau moved Only For Justice to the outside by the half mile, which went on the board in 59 seconds, but Berube and Cesar Duharas stuffed them back into the pocket. Then by the three-quarters in 1:27 2/5, Brosseau came back again, and this time on the final turn had collared Cesar Duharas, who then went off-stride, allowing Only For Justice to win with ease in a romp by 12 3/4 lengths in 1:57 3/5. Money Hill (Sylvain Filion) was second with Triomphe Duharas (Denis Gueriel) third.

Only For Justice is now a repeat Quebec champion, having won the final at age two and now at age three. Sired by Justice Hall, it was Only For Justice’s fourth win this year for trainer Dany Fontaine and the Gaetan Bono Stable, who bred and owns the gelding. He paid $3.10 to win.

C$65,000 Three-year-old Filly Trot Final

Kinderunbelievable and driver Pierre-Luc Roy put in an unbelievable performance to beat pace-setter Choo Choo Bleu (Sylvain Filion).

Choo Choo Blue left first from the starting gate, with My Lady Hall (Louis-Philippe Roy) grabbing the two-hole spot past the opening quarter-mile. Coming to the half-mile mark was when Pierre-Luc Roy took Kinderubelievable first-over, giving race favorite Cor Leo (Stephane Gendron) second-over live cover.

Choo Choo Blue would not let Kinderunbelievable pass down the backstretch and around the final turn. Then in the stretch, with horses fanning out all around them, Kinderunbelievable dug in with true grit and went on to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:01 3/5. Choo Choo Blue was second, with Cor Leo third.

It was the third win this year for Kinderunbelievable, who is sired by Archangel. It was her third straight win for breeder, owner, and trainer Dentiza Petrova. She paid $5.40 to win.

C$65,000 Three-year-old Colt Pace Final

Race favorite Ashleysbest saw his three-race winning streak come to an end as D Gs De Vito and Jonathan Lachance used a big brush in the backstretch to pass by the favorite en route to scoring a 1 1/2 length victory.

Ashleysbest (Pascal Berube) shot to the lead from post seven and cut the mile with fractions of 26 2/5 and 55 1/5 before Lachance and D Gs De Vito came flying first-over in the backstretch to take command by the three-quarters in 1:23 3/5.

HP Napoleon (Stephane Brosseau) tried to follow the move of D Gs De Vito to no avail as the winner went on to score in 1:54 1/5. HP Napoleon was second, with Angers Bayama (Sylvain Filion) third.

It was a lifetime mark for D Gs De Vito as the gelded son of Sportswriter notched his fourth win this year. Trained by Antonio Valente, D Gs De Vito was bred and is owned by Daniel Suprenant and paid a generous $19.50 to win.

His clocking was the fastest mile on the 14-race card.

C$65,000 Three-year-old Filly Pace Final

Hall of Famer Yves Filion sent Akita Bayama right to the lead and barely held off a very determined Cooking The Speed (Louis-Philippe Roy) to win by a neck in a lifetime-best 1:57 1/5.

Cooking The Speed was trying for her second championship victory, and despite being parked out first-over from the half mile, was a valiant second. Audi Bayama (Sylvain Filion), part of the entry for trainer Yves Filion, was third.

It was the second win in just five starts this year for Akita Bayama. The Sportswriter daughter was bred and is owned by Filion’s Bayama Farms. She is co-owned with Jacques Damours and paid $2.90 to win.

C$55,000 Two-year-old Colt Pace Final

Whitecookie (Marie-Claude Auger) saw his undefeated streak (six-for-six) come to an end at the hands of Eclat De Rire and driver Stephane Gendron.

Going right to the lead as usual was Whitecookie, with Eclat De Rire sitting right on his back for nearly the entire mile. It was not until the three-quarters that Gendron pulled the pocket with Eclat De Rire as the rest of the field was fanning three- and four-wide for the drive to the finish.

In the stretch, Eclat De Rire was able to collar Whitecookie and pass him by to win by one length in a lifetime mark of 1:58 4/5. Whitecookie was second, with PLD Needy (Pascal Beurbe) third.

It was the second straight win and third victory in five starts for the son of Leader Bayama. He is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Guy Corbeil and paid $5.40 to win.

C$55,000 Two-year-old Filly Pace Final

Acenda De Chakrika picked the perfect time to score a lifetime mark as the daughter of Sunshine Beach led from start to finish for driver Stephane Brosseau to prevail in 2:00 2/5. The pocket-sitting Lotus Sena (Pascal Berube) was second, with Godiva Lovely Lady (Simon Delisle) third.

Acenda De Charkrika won by 1 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Daniel Martin for breeder/owner Diane Lepine, it was the second win this year for Acenda De Chakrika, who paid $5.00 to win.

C$55,000 Two-year-old Colt Trot Final

Babidibou and driver Stephane Gendron made it three straight wins as the colt by Royalty For Life wired the field with ease in a lifetime mark of 2:02 1/5.

Kenogami Coco (Stephane Brosseau) tried coming first-over but could not gain ground on the winner and was second by 1 3/4 lengths. HP Muscle Dancer (Sylvain Filion) was third.

Trained by Maxime Velaye for co-owners Isidoro Russo and Guy Corbiel, Babidibou paid $3.50 to win.

C$55,000 Two-year-old Filly Trot Final

Emotions Durables and driver Tyler Jones went right to the front with HP Starlette (Stephane Brosseau) in second after the start, but coming off the first turn, HP Starlette went off-stride and scattered the field, allowing Emotions Durables to open up on the field.

Despite a strong comeback from Kinnder High Class (Pierre-Luc Roy), Emotions Durables held the field at bay, winning by 1 1/2 lengths in a lifetime-best 2:03 1/5. Muscle Fern Jacky (Francis Picard) was third.

It was the fourth win in just six starts for the daughter of Wheeling N Dealin, who is owned and trained by Cassandra Lecourt. She paid $4.50 to win.

It was also the first championship victory for Tyler Jones.

--press relrease (Quebec Jockey Club)--