Berube scores 100th win closing day at H3R

Harness racing driver Pascal Berube became the first driver ever to win 100 races in a single season when he captured the 4th race pace with Café Society at the Hippodrome 3R on closing day of the 2022 season Sunday, November 6, 2022.

The Hippodrome 3R dates back to 1830 when they first had horse racing on the grounds. The prior record for most wins in a single season was 66 set by Denis St Pierre in 2014.

Berube entered the closing day card at H3R needing two wins to hit the 100-win mark. The 99th victory came in the 3rd race pace where Berube not only cut the mile with La Petite Grise (Sportswriter), but went on to win in a romp by ten lengths in 1:57.

It was the sixth win on the year for La Petite Grise. The four-year-old gray mare is trained and co-owned by Fernand Jodoin with Michel Letendre. She paid $2.10 to win as the overwhelming 1/9 race favorite.

Then in the very next 4th race, Café Society (Betterthancheddar) with Berube driving, had to rough it out first-over against Fancy Girl (Michel Lagace) until after the half mile, taking the lead for good and winning by two and one-quarter lengths over Whitemountaincammy (Stephane Brosseau) and Arrhythmogenic (Daniel St Pierre) in 1:58.3.

Berube raised his fist and whip in triumph crossing the finish line for his 100th victory. It was the second straight win, fourth win in her last five starts for trainer Sylvain Tremblay. It was the sixth win of the year for Café Society ($3.10), who is owned by Gaetan Fortin of Loretteville.

The winner’s circle was packed with well-wishers for Berube.

Both Berube and Tremblay were honored in the winner’s circle as the leading driver and trainer respectively for the season. It was the third straight year that Berube has won the driving title at H3R and it was the fifth time of his career he has been the top driver.

For Sylvain Tremblay, who ended the season with 30 wins from his stable, it was his second straight training title at H3R.

The fastest mile on the card Sunday was scored by Histoire Enchantee (Shanghai Phil) in the 5th race Preferred Handicap Pace.

Despite being parked out to the first quarter in a speedy :26.4, Historie Enchantee and driver-trainer Simon Delisle then had to deal with Platine Alpha (Pascal Berube) pressing first-over and then the race favorite, Kiss Me Bad (Steven Gagnon) swept three-wide on the final turn to battle Histoire Enchantee down the stretch.

Histoire Enchantee dug in down the stretch and held off Kiss Me Bad to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.1. Outlaw Turn N Burn (Francis Picard) was third. It was the seventh win of the season for Histoire Enchantee, who is co-owned by Aurelie Delisle and Raymond Bouffard, paying $9.20 to win.

A special event took place in the winner’s circle after the 7th race, when the 14-year-old pacer, Adamncam (Camluck), was officially retired from racing.

In his career, he started 206 times and won 22 times with 33 2nd places and 24 times he was 3rd. He had winnings of over C$130,000 and a lifetime record of 1.55.1 taken at Flamboro Downs when he was an eight-years-old.

Norman Beaudoin and his wife Léna Ouellet have owned Adamncam since 2018. Léna has already trained Adamncam to ride with a saddle.

Track Notes: Pascal Berube ended the card with four wins. It is the fourth time this season he has won four races on the card. Stephane Brosseau had a driving double. The Hippodrome 3R and the nine off-track betting parlors in Quebec will be open seven days a week for simulcasting throughout the winter months. Race dates for the 2023 race season will be announced shortly.