Trois-Rivieres, QC – The Quebec Jockey Club plays host to a three-day weekend of harness racing action at the Hippodrome 3R.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday the half mile oval will see 24 races for the trotters and pacers. Friday's program starts late afternoon with a 4:00 pm post. Then on Saturday it's the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit day at H3R and another full card of action Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday's programs get underway at 1:00 pm.
While it is still early in the racing season at H3R, the three standouts among the driving colony are in a dogfight for control of the lead as well as the training ranks too.
Three-time defending driving champion, Stephane Gendron, is currently tied with Pascal Berube as the winningest drivers, each with 12 victories. Following in a close third place is Stephane Brosseau with 11 wins. All three drivers have been top contenders at the track for many years.
And the trainers have a tight competition too. Maxime Velaye leads the pack with five wins and tied for second with four wins each are three-time defending trainer champion Francis Richard, Michel Allard, Charles Gaudreault and Pierre Leclerc.
Also, to be recognized, is driver Carol Voyer, who this year has had a limited number of drives (16), and has been outstanding with a Universal Driving Rating (baseball average) of .500, which would be tops in any league.
All of these drivers and most of the trainers will be back in action on Friday and will be put to the test in the seventh race Preferred-Handicap Pace feature race.
Windsun Cheyenne has been made the 5/2 mild favorite from post seven for driver Pascal Berube. Last week the 10-year-old gelded son of Cam's Card Shark was able to show his heels to his younger competitors, leading from start to finish in 1:55.3.
In that race Windsun Cheyenne started from the rail and having the outside post seven could well hinder his chances for a repeat victory having to face some tough company Friday.
Hooter Shooter gets handicapped and starts from post eight for driver Stephane Brosseau. Two starts back he won the Preferred in 1:56.1, but that was from the rail. Hooter Shooter, unlike Windsun Cheyenne, has raced well in the past from outside posts.
D J Power is a force to be reckoned with and has the rail for pilot Samuel Fillion. Fillion has two wins, the fastest in 1:56.2, and a game second last week with D J Power, who has found new life this season racing on the front end.
Outlaw Turn & Burn (post 9), Maracasso (post 6) and Always A Diamond (post 5) figure to also provide some strong competition in the race.
For a free race program for each day this weekend, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
From the Quebec Jockey Club