MONTREAL – The $500,000 Trot Mondial was taken by Fan Idole in a startling upset of defending champion Varenne yesterday afternnoon at Hippodrome de Montreal.

The French-owned trotting mare, trained and driven by Richard Denechere, sat off a speed dual between the world’s top trotter Varenne and top American horse Fools Goal. before making a move in mid-stretch down the center of the track to score an easy three-length victory. Varenne finished second, with Fools Goal third.

Varenne, the 1-5 favorite, was disqualified for going inside several pylons approaching the stretch, and placed last in the field of 11.

“I thought I could win at the top of the stretch because I hadn’t asked her for anything and the other two had been going at it the whole race,” said Denechere.

Fan Idole went 2:39 for the mile and three-eighths and returned $93.20 to win.