27-year-old track record falls to 25-1 longshot
At 11h53, on September 25, 2023 • By Steven Wolf
A 27-year-old track record was rewritten Sunday (Sept. 24) afternoon by 25-1 longshot YS Sensationalcity (Keystone Velocity) at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec. It was the oldest track record on the books at H3R.
The 5th race Preferred Pace for Fillies and Mares saw You Rock Girl Kir (Jocelyn Gendron) go to the early lead then JKs Rollin Baby (Francis Picard) took over at the first quarter in :27.2.
Coming to the half mile marker, Pascal Berube came first-over with Ladycorona followed by Celia Bayama (Stephane Brosseau) second-over and YS Sensationalcity and driver William Roy third-over. The half went in :56.3.
Racing down the backstretch, Ladycorona took the lead leaving Celia Bayama first-over with YS Sensationalcity second-over at the three-quarters in 1:26.
Then around the final turn, YS Sensationalcity fanned three-wide and with a burst of speed down the stretch for William Roy, came on to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:55 with Celia Bayama second and Ladycorona third.
The time of the race, 1:55, surpassed the previous track record for three-year-old pacing fillies of 1:55.1 set by Canaco Motion back in 1996. It was the fifth win of the year for YS Sensationalcity and a lifetime mark. She is trained and co-owned by Michel Allard with Kapodep Singh and paid $53.80 to win.
Quebec Champion two-year-old pacer, Boomboom Tonight (Sportswriter) and driver Marc Belanger, lowered the boom on his eight rivals in easily winning the $6,000 feature race.
The 2nd race main event saw 45-1 D Gs Lorijeanne (Jonathan Lachance) scoot out to the early lead, but also leaving from the far outside in post eight was Boomboom Tonight. He quickly took over the lead from D Gs Lorijeanne before the opening quarter mile in :29.2.
Leading by nine lengths on the field already, Boomboom Tonight kept the field at bay as he passed the half mile marker in :59. Then as the field seemingly closed the margin on Boomboom Tonight in the backstretch, Dream Choice (Pascal Berube) started up first-over but was unable to gain on Boomboom Tonight as he sped by the three-quarters in 1:29.1.
Coming down the stretch, Belanger breezed home with Boomboom Tonight, winning by four and one-quarter lengths in 1:58.3. D Gs Lorijeanne was second with Shes Rock (Robert Shepherd) third.
It was the fourth straight victory, all at H3R, for Boomboom Tonight. He was bred and is owned and trained by Elisabeth Pothier of St-Christophe-D’Arthabask, Quebec and paid $2.70 to win as the wagering favorite.
Track Notes: Trainers David Pilon, Andre Champagne, Michel Allard and Nancy Auger all had doubles. Drivers Robert Shepherd, William Roy and Joel Gagnon also had doubles. Live racing resumes at H3R next Friday, Sept. 29 with a special post time of 3:00 pm. A reminder that there are two new $60,000 stakes races, the Brian Paquet Memorials, that will be held on Sunday, October 1. Both memorials are for three-year-old and older pacers, one division for the horses and one division for the fillies and mares. Preference will be given to Quebec-bred horses, then Quebec-owned horses and then it becomes Open to any horses from Canada or the USA. Each division will feature just eight starters.
