Curtain closes on Hippodrome 3R race meet

The curtain came down on the Hippodrome 3R (H3R) 2024 race season Sunday (Nov. 3) with a 12-race card that featured both a $6,500 Preferred Pace and a $10,000 Pace for older Quebec-owned mares.

In the 5th race Preferred Pace, overwhelming 1/9 race favorite Light The Torch (Always B Miki) and driver Pascal Berube flew off the starting gate with Berube pulling the ear plugs to insure getting the lead.

With Aladdin (Stephane Brosseau) sitting the pocket seat, Light The Torch led to the quarter in :27.3. Then No Time At All (Francis Picard) came first-over with Perpetual Rock (Simon Delisle) second-over at the half mile in :57.2.

Never really challenged for the lead, Light The Torch led past the three-quarters in 1:26.4 and then held off Aladdin in the stretch to win with ease by two and one-half lengths in 1:55. No Time At All was third.

It was the ninth win of the season for Light The Torch. The four-year-old gelding is trained and co-owned by Marc-Andre Simoneau with Jean Fontaine. He paid $2.30 to win.

Then in the 7th race $10,000 feature for Quebec-owned pacing mares, it was Sauble Amber (Betterthancheddar) and driver Pascal Berube going down the road from post five.

Sauble Amber cut fractions of :27.3 and :56.2 with Latte Seelster (William Roy) sitting on their backs and Dialmeup (Francis Picard) coming first-over. Then in the backstretch, Sauble Amber opened up on the field, leading by six lengths past the three-quarters in 1:26. She went on to win in a romp by fifteen open lengths in 1:55.1. Compassrose De Vie (Stephane Brosseau) was second with Dialmeup third.

It was the second straight win and 12th victory of the season for five-year-old mare Sauble Amber, who is trained and owned by Michel Lagace and paid just $2.10 to win.

Driver Pascal Berube wrapped up his fifth straight driving title at H3R with a grand slam Sunday. He ended the meet with 76 wins with Marie-Claude Auger second with 52 wins.

Trainer Marc-Andre Simoneau, who captured his first training title at H3R, had a double (both driven by Berube) Sunday and ended the meet with 30 wins from his stable. Second was David Pilon with 23 wins.

During the race card Sunday there were three special presentations made to retiring horses.

Of the three venerable pacers, PL Gyro, was able to race one more time in the 4th race pace where the 14-year-old finished a game second place for driver Pascal Berube in his final start on the racetrack.

Also retired was Windsun Cheyenne, who has made his mark at H3R by winning a significant share of victories. He is also in the record books for having crossed the mile and a half race in 2.58.1 on August 27, 2017, with Stéphane Brosseau at the guides. He retires with a generous bank account of more than $230,000.

The third retiree this day was the pacer SOS Mach Xtreme. She won many races on the Regional Fair Circuit.

Each retiree made a final appearance in the winner’s circle, had their front shoes ceremoniously removed and was presented with a monogrammed winter blanket.

Track Notes: Steeve Genois had a driving double Sunday. With the end of the live race meet for 2024, H3R will be open seven days a week featuring simulcasting from around North America.