On Friday evening (June 21), the Québec Jockey Club plays host to the second round of the Québec-Bred Series for older trotters at Hippodrome 3R.
The main event takes place in the eighth race co-feature, where the storyline is “A Tale of Two Brothers” as Seeyou Men and Wildwild Men, full brothers, will race against each other.
Last week in the opening round of the series, there were enough entrants to have two divisions, so the two brothers did not have to face each other. Such is not the case this Friday, as only 10 horses were entered and thus one division.
Both Seeyou Men and Wildwild Men are by Muscle Mass and out of the Angus Hall mare Seeyouinthecircle. Seeyou Men is seven and Wildwild Men is the younger brother at age six. They were both bred by Chantal Gravel, who co-owns the two with Catheline Pelletier.
As youngsters, both horses were raced from the same stable of Isabelle Darveau and were driven by Robert Shepherd. They are now in different stables yet will race as an overwhelming entry on Friday.
Both horses are prior Québec-bred champions, and Wildwild Men still holds the track record he set at age two. Seeyou Men has drawn post 1 and Wildwild Men drew post 7.
Last week, Seeyou Men was the fastest of the Québec-Bred Series winners, trotting his mile in 1:59 after getting perfect live cover from Kinnder Dangerous. It was his second win this season for trainer Daniel Martin and driver Stephane Brosseau.
Seeyou Men and Stephane Brosseau reached at the line in their Québec-Bred Series event on June 14 at Hippodrome 3R.
Wildwild Men was able to leave from post 6 and never look back last week, winning with ease for trainer-driver Guy Gagnon by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:00.1. That was his third triumph of the season.
Wildwild Men and Guy Gagnon in their Québec-Bred Series victory on June 14 at Hippodrome 3R.
Other contenders in the race include Kinnder Dangerous (post 5), who two starts back won in 1:58.4, Holiday Party (post 6), Caroluzzo (post 9), and Maximuscle (post 3), who just qualified at H3R in 2:00.
The older mares do battle in the third race, where last week’s opening-round winner, Eau Naturelle and trainer-driver Simon Delisle, drew the far outside and will have to start from post 8.
Last week, the six-year-old daughter of Windsong Espoir started from post 3 and led from start to finish in 2:00.2 for her first win on the year for co-owners Chantal Auger-Maxime Dubuc, Raymond Bouffard and Anne Delisle.
Her main rival will be Lucky Promesses, who drew the rail for driver Steeve Genois and trainer Francis Richard. Last week she was able to get live cover from Eau Naturelle, but was unable to close the deal in the stretch and finished second.
Ben Hur Cup II Sunday: The Ben Hur Cup II takes place Sunday at 3R with Ontario’s Doug McNair taking on Québec’s Louis-Philippe Roy. There are 10 races on the program, and races three through 10 will be the Ben Hur Cup II, which features a winner-take-all cash prize of $3,000.
There will be a special meet and greet with McNair and Roy starting at 12 noon and then a welcome presentation after the second race.
Post time Friday is 7 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
(Québec Jockey Club)