Trois-Rivieres, QC – A large field of ten three-year-old trotting colts and geldings headline the opening round of the Breeders Cup Series at the Hippodrome 3R Tuesday evening.
There are three preliminary rounds of competition in the Breeders Cup Series culminating with the top eight point earners in the series eligible for the $65,000 finals in their respective divisions on Super Sunday, September 9.
Last year's returning champion, Ganymede Lavec, seeking to regain his winning form of last year that saw him at his best in the $55,000 Future Stars final for breeder, owner and driver Jerome Lombart of Bromont, pulling off a big upset at odds of 17-1.
Trained by Andreane Lapierre, Ganymede Lavec is sired by Ganymede and will start from post six in the fifth race feature. Ganymede Lavec is just getting his season underway, making his second start of the year on Tuesday.
The race favorite is Nobodysjustce from post post four for driver Guy Gagnon. This gelded son of Justice Hall posted three wins last year, the fastest in 2:00 at Mohawk Raceway.
Nobodysjustice has not fared that well this season as he has yet to win in six tries for trainer Dany Fontaine. Last week he raced in the Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots at Dresden Raceway and was fourth, racetimed in 2:01.4.
With ten starters on a half mile oval, eight will go behind the starting gate and the other two will start behind the horses in posts one and two respectively. Other contenders in the large field include SG Goliath King (post seven), Yankee Photo (post 10), who is the only return winner in the field, coming off a lifetime best 2:01.1 victory at Saratoga Raceway, and Orlys Fury (post five).
While the colts have a full field of ten starters, the filly division was not that fortunate. They had only three entered in the opening round and will race in a non-wagering heat between the 4th and 5th races on the program.
Featured is last year's returning champion, Precieuse CC from post two for trainer/driver Claude Beausoleil. This daughter of Angus Hall had four wins in six starts last year. She has not fared that well in her lone start this year.
The main rival in the race will be Denitza Petrova's Kinnder Prediction, who starts from post one and rounding out the short field is Montanalaska (post three).
First race post time Tuesday is 6:30 pm. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
From the Quebec Jockey Club