Trois-Rivieres, QC – The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Jockey Club, Claude Levesque, was very happy today to announce that starting next weekend, for the September 11th harness racing program, the purses at the Hippodrome 3R will be increased between 20% and 30%, for all overnight races.
"The members of the Quebec Jockey Club in meeting this morning, made this decision," said Levesque, following the good results obtained since the return to racing.
The only downside to this announcement," Levesque added. "Is that if Public Health decided to close the bars in Quebec, and therefore our OTB betting houses, we would return to the current purse structure. This increases does not apply to the Coupe de l'Avenir (Future Stars Series) and the Breeders Trophy events, including the finals.
"This is great news," Levesque said, "Which we know will delight our horse people."
Despite COVID-19, harness racing trainer Denitza Petrova from Melbourne is enjoying one of her best seasons ever as her Kinnder Dangerzone won Friday at the Hippodrome 3R.
Petrova and her parents left Bulgaria in 1989 and moved to Belgium for three years, where Denitza was able to take a few riding lessons. Her love for horses and farm life never left her dreams. Then the family moved to Quebec, Canada in 1992 and it was not until age 22 that Petrova learned about harness racing and became "hooked" on the sport.
The big victory of the day came in the very first race Friday, the $10,000 second leg of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old trotting colts. Starting from post four was Kinnder Dangerzone.
It was Hall Win and trainer-driver Kevin Maguire going to the early lead with Kinnder Dangerous and driver Pierre Luc Roy sitting in second place until the opening quarter mile in :30.2.
Roy then sent Kinnder Dangerzone to the front and the son of Northern Escort led the rest of the one-mile race, winning with ease by two and one-half lengths in 2:03. Hall Win was second with Incredible Hall (Stephane Brosseau) third.
Unbeaten in two starts this year, it was a lifetime mark for Kinnder Dangerzone. He paid $3.50 to win.
Petrova is not just the trainer of her horses, she also owns them and has bred all of her horses she trains. She runs the entire operation from her farm in Melbourne, which features an excellent half mile training track.
For the limited race season in 2020, Petrova's Stable has sent out 24 starts and sports seven wins, four second and one third place finish for a UTR or battle average of .425.
Petrova also names all her horses Kinnder because of her love of the Kinder chocolate candy with the toy inside. She has a massive collection of the toy surprises she has gotten over the years.
The second division of the Future Stars Series for the fillies saw the top filly, Mag N Lady, win again for trainer-driver Jean Francois Maguire.
The daughter of Royalty For Life took the early lead away from X O X O (Jerome Lombart) by the first quarter in :30.4. Then the other three contenders in the field all were off-stride and Mags N Lady went on to win in 2:02 and she distanced the field by as much as 50 lengths. X O X O was second with Justice Balance (Pierre Luc Roy) third.
It was the second straight win in the same time for Mag N Lady, who is co-owned by Maguire with Julie Malenfant and Richard Legris.
Track Notes: Pierre Luc Roy led all horse people Friday with a driving triple. Sunday features a ten-race program with three divisions of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old pacers. Featured are return winners Acaena De Chakrika, Streakazana, and Godiva Lovely Lady among the fillies along with Retour Au Jeu, Mickeymaksomespeed and HP I Got Toplay for the colts. Post time is 1:00 pm Sunday. For a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
From the Quebec Jockey Club