Trois-Rivieres, QC – This Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R all eyes will be on the three-year-old harness racing pacing filly, Lune Bleu (Blue Moon in French), who will seek to make a clean sweep in the $10,000 final of the Quebec-Plus Series.
The daughter of Big Jim starts from post two for trainer Maxime Velayee and she is seeking to win her third straight race for driver Pierre Luc Roy.
A six-time winner this year, Lune Blue raced just four times at age 2 and never won a race.
"She was very sick just before her first qualifying race," Maxime Velaye explained. "It was right before her first qualifier and she never fully recovered after that. She had shown me some speed and some grit when training down."
Now at age 3 Lune Bleu is making up for lost time for owner/breeder Guy Gorbeil of Mirbel. Two starts back she took her lifetime mark at H3R with a 1:58.3 triumph.
"She has been raced timed in 1:57.1," Velaye added. "And I think if she is pressed on she can go that fast in Sunday's Final."
Her main rivals in the race will be the entry from the Francis Richard Stable of Encore Panic and Ernie Panic, both of whom were bred and are owned by Brian Paquet of Quebec City.
Encore Panic drew post three for driver Jocelyn Gendron and won an opening round of the series in a lifetime best 2:00.1. The four-year-old gelded son of Artistic Fella also has good early gate speed.
Ernie Panic goes from post seven for driver Francis Picard and also has early gate speed. Sired by Mach Three, the four-year-old has a record of 2:00.2 taken three starts back and has four wins this season.
"We will definitely need some luck this Sunday," said Francis Richard. "The two fillies get to draw for the inside posts. My two horses don't mind racing in the mud and they both have got early gate speed.
"I think Encore is the best right now," Richard added. "Just because he has a better post position. He didn't race that much this summer and now with three starts in a row he should be in better racing shape.
"I can not count out Ernie too," Richard explained. "He has Francis Picard driving him and he has done a great job with him. He knows the horse very well and I wouldn't be surprised at all if they get the job done."
Then there is Hercule J M in post six for driver Pascal Berube. Last week the five-year-old gelded son of Goliath Bayama upset the field at 7-1, closing from sixth place in the backstretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.4.
Rounding out the field is the other filly in the race, Somebeachbythesea (post one); Indigo Seelster (post four), Determinant (post six) and Art Of The Master (post eight).
The two top pacing mares at H3R this season, Rainbow Palace and Wild River Swan will do battle again this Sunday in the fourth race.
Rainbow Palace goes from post five for driver Francis Picard. She was the top mare at H3R last year and is seeking to retain her title although last week she suffered defeat to Wild River Swan.
Wild River Swan has eight wins on the year for H3R's leading trainer Francis Richard and goes from post four for driver Jocelyn Gendron. She has yet to finish worse than second in her last nine starts.
Of the male rivals in the field, Solid Performance (post two) and Allstar Seelster (post one) could be factors in the race.
First race post time is 12:50 pm. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club