Undefeated Diamond Rock wins again

Having to start from post eight in the first race pace Sunday afternoon at the Hippodrome 3R did not hinder Diamond Rock’s three-race harness racing winning streak.

Driver Pascal Berube sent the three-year-old gelded son of Betterthanchedder for the lead, stung three-wide around the first turn, but then cleared to the front by the opening quarter mile in :27.3.

From there Diamond Rock cut all the fractions, :57.3 to the half and 1:27.2 to the three-quarters before winning with ease by one and one-half lengths in 1:57.2.

Trained by Pierre Leclerc for owner Lise Carbonneau of St Michel De Saints, Diamond Rock, now undefeated in four starts this year, is the winningest horse at H3R this meet. He paid $6.70 to win.

The closest finish of the season came in the seven race Preferred Pace for the older horses as it took the photo finish camera to decide the winner.

First to show on the lead was Somewhere Bettor (Jocelyn Gendron), who forced Mickeymaksomespeed (Jonathan Lachance) to take a two-hole trip at the opening quarter mile in :27.1.

Then the action started to heat up as Littlebitaswager (Francis Picard) came first-over early with Veneno (Stephane Brosseau) right on their back. The half was clocked in :57.2.

All the way down the backstretch, Littlebitaswagger inched his way up to collar race leader Somewhere Better to the three-quarters in 1:26.2 and then most of the eight-horse field was bunched up in striking position.

Down the stretch they came. Somewhere Bettor was holding onto his lead but beared out a bit allowing Lachance and Mickeymaksomspeed to sneak up the rail and nip Somewhere Bettor at the wire by a sliver of a nose in 1:56.

Littlebitaswagger was third by a head, Hooter Shooter (Samuel Fillion) was fourth by a neck and Veneno was fifth by just half a length in the five-horse photo.

For Mickeymaksomspeed, a four-year-old stallion by Mickey Hanover, it was his second win this season. He is trained, owned and was bred by Rene Allard of Saint-Espirt and paid $3.50 to win.

The sixth race Preferred Pace for the mares saw Fancy Girl (Francis Picard) strung out three-wide by Jans Legacy (Stephane Brosseau) and D Gs Fairystars (Michel Audet) to the opening quarter mile in :27.3.

Once Fancy Girl made the lead, Brosseau came right back to the lead with Jans Legacy, who cut the mile to the half in :58. Then Shemaksmefelunreal (Marie Claude Auger) came after Jans Legacy first-over with Topsill Beach (Samuel Fillion) second-over.

Once the field reached the backstretch, Big Diamond and driver Stephane Gendron went three-wide and nearly was able to clear at the three-quarters in 1:28.1 but could not make it on the final turn.

By the top of the stretch, Jans Legacy and Brosseau had a firm control of the lead despite a late charge again by Fancy Girl. Jans Legacy went on to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:58. Fancy Girl was second and Y C Easy (Pierre-Luc Roy) was third.

It was the second win this season for Jans Legacy. The seven-year-old mare by Camluck, who happens to be the oldest mare in the field, is trained by Marc-andre Simoneau, who co-owns Jans Legacy with the Desjardins Noreau Stables. She paid $5.60 to win.

Track Notes: Pascal Berube was the only one to score in double figures on the day with a driving double. Live harness racing returns to H3R next Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will be the second round of the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit with post time at 1:00 pm. Sunday’s regular race program starts at 12:30 pm. For more information, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.