Hooter Shooter grinds out upset

Unlike prior years when Hooter Shooter would be the race favorite in the Preferred-Handicap Pace at the Hippodrome 3R, he was let go at odds of 10-1 Friday afternoon and his harness racing supporters were rewarded well.

With the 3/5 favorite, Mickeymaksomespeed (Richard Simard) parked three-wide around the opening turn to the first quarter in :26.3 before clearing to the lead, the race then changed dramatically.

Take The Deal (Guy Gagnon) parked out Mickeymaksomespeed and then settled into the two-hole. By the half mile marker in :56.2, Stephane Gendron had Hooter Shooter on the move first-over, biding their time, sitting right on Mickeymaksomespeed’s neck down the backstretch to the three-quarters in 1:26.

Hooter Shooter was able to wear Mickeymaksomespeed down, collar him at the top of the stretch and then went on to win by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:56. Mickeymaksomespeed was able to hold on for second place with Take The Deal third.

It was the first win of the year for Hooter Shooter. The eight-year-old gelded son of Badlands Hanover is owned and trained by Marc-Andre Simoneau of Trois-Rivieres, paying $23.80 to win.

We will hear more from Marc-Andre Simoneau later in the story.

The 9th race Preferred-Handicap Trot saw Severus Hanover (Stephane Brosseau) and Seeyou Men (Guy Gagnon) trade the lead twice by the first quarter in :28.4 with Severus Hanover back in command before the half mile pole in :59.2.

Race favorite Kinnder High Class (Samuel Fillion) came first-over and was content to trot alongside Severus Hanover to the three-quarters in 1:29.1.

As the started down the stretch, Kinnder High Class could not collar Severus Hanover, but Severus Hanover started to bear out and Gagnon came up the rail with Seeyou Men but it was too little too late as Severus Hanover held on to win by a head with Seeyou Men second and Kinnder High Class third by a half-length.

It was the second straight win in three starts this year for Severus Hanover. Owned and trained by Yannick Martel of L’Assomption, the ten-year-old gelded son of Explosive Matter paid $7.50 to win.

With four lead changes by the half mile marker, the seventh race Preferred-Handicap Pace for the mares saw lots of early racing action.

Shemakesmefelunreal (Richard Simard) and Jessicas Legacy (Pascal Berube) battle it out early, trading the lead three times by the opening quarter mile in :28.3. Then Jans Legacy with Stephane Brosseau in the sulky came first-over at the half in :58.3 but could not clear to the lead until the middle of third turn.

Going down the backstretch, Jans Legacy held the field at bay by three lengths to three-quarters in 1:27 and then cruised home an easy winner by one-half length in 1:57.2. Topsill Beach (David Pilon) closed well to be second with Arrhythmogenic (Daniel St Pierre) third.

It was the first victory on the year for Jans Legacy. The seven-year-old mare by Camluck, trained by Marc-Andre Simoneau is owned by the trainer with the Desjardins Noreau Stable of Quebec City and paid $9.60 to win. It made for a Preferred Double for trainer Marc-Andre Simoneau.

Track Notes: Stephane Brosseau has the hot hands Friday, scoring a driving triple. Marie-Claude Auger had a driving double. The first six races saw the race favorite win each time. Racing resumes at H3R on Sunday afternoon, first race post time at 12:30 pm. For additional information or a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.com

For full race results, click here.