Trois-Rivieres, QC – The $276,000C new Quebec-Bred Series gets underway at the Hippodrome 3R on Frid14ay night with three opening round harness racing divisions for older trotters.
The series was changed for this year to allow all trotters and pacers age four and older that were eligible to compete in the series. Prior to this change the series was only open for four and five-year-olds.
There will be three weeks of preliminary competition followed by $30,000C finals on Sunday, July 14.
The very first race on the program Friday is the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters.
Featured are three former champions, Seeyou Men (post 4), Holiday Party (post 5) and Capteur De Reve (post 3).
Seeyou Men ships in from Mohawk Raceway for trainer Daniel Martin and is the morning line favorite at 5/2. A $252,000c career winner has 16 starts this season and nearly $50,000c won in 2019.
Track record holder Holiday Party was a game second last week at H3R in the Preferred-Handicap Trot while Capteur De Reve, who could become a four-time champion if he can win the final, comes into the race off a dismal performance in his first start of the year last week.
Other contenders include Kinnder Dangerous (post 2), who two starts back won his 2019 debut with a 1:58.4 triumph at H3R, Sultan D Or (post 6) is the winningest horse at H3R this season with four wins in five outings. Rideau Carleton invader, Sometimes When (post 1) rounds out the field.
The sixth race is the second division for trotting horses and sees the return of three-time champion Maximuscle (post two), now trained by Michel Allard for Allard Racing. Shipping back to Quebec from Pocono Downs, Maximuscle shows one win this year in 1:56.
Track record holder and Quebec champion Wildwild Men (post 6) will be in the hunt for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon and also entered is long-time H3R Open Trot contender and track record holder Caroluzzo (post 3).
Rounding out the field are SOS Irresistable (post 1), SG Goliath King (post 4) and KFB Amigo Cool (post 5).
The lone mares division takes place in the third race and is headlined by former champion Y S Suzanne (post 6). Trained and co-owned by Blake Curran, Y S Suzanne ships in from Rideau Carleton where she was second by a head in 1:58.4. She has five wins so far in 2019.
Lucky Promises (post 5) comes back to her home track and is now being trained by Francis Richard. She will be driven by Steeve Genois, who campaigned her at Saratoga Raceway in the USA.
Another good mare in the field is last year's Quebec-Bred Champion Precieuse CC (post 4), who has one win in four starts this season, 1:59 lifetime mark.
Also entered are Vanilla Star (post 1), Montanaalaska (post 2) and EAU Naturelle (post 3).
The older pacers in the Quebec-Bred Series get underway on Sunday at H3R with four divisions.
For a free race program for Friday, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club