Babidibou, last season's trotting champion in Quebec, looks to have turned the tide in his 2020 season. He is now headlining Hippodrome 3R's final preliminary round of the Breeders Trophy Series, which is scheduled for this Friday (Sept. 11).
Due to conflicts with other events at the racetrack, post time this Friday has been moved up to 1:00 p.m.
Friday's action will be the last shot that the three-year-old trotters have to earn points to be one of the eight finalists in the $65,000 series finale, which will be contested at H3R on Sunday, September 27 ('Super Sunday' in Quebec).
Babidibou is a three-year-old gelded son of Royalty For Life that is trained by Maxime Velaye for co-owners Isidore Russo of Montreal and Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. Last year he earned over $51,000.
“He has gotten much stronger since the beginning of the year,” said Maxime Velaye. “Only in the first round of series did he make a break. We made a few little changes to try and keep him a bit 'safer.' Then, last week he got to chase a hot pace and just [got] up in a fast mile.”
A fast mile it was last week, as Babidibou benefited from live cover and came from off the pace to win the second leg in a lifetime-best clocking (1:57.2).
Also, in the race Friday is trainer-driver Yves St Jacques’s Frido PV, who will start from the rail. He is the one that cut all the fractions in the second leg only to get beaten at the wire by a neck to Babidibou. He also has three wins this season for owner-breeder Marcel Brouillard of St-Marcel-De-Richelieu.
“I’m currently in Toronto with the other half of my stable," Velaye explained. "But my team in Quebec said that Babidibou is feeling good and ready to go. I have an excellent team in Quebec which is part of the stables success each year. They are Elsa Richer, Stephane Bardier and the big boss Guy Corbeil.”
The Velaye stable team will have a busy day at H3R Friday, as Miss Melodie is set to contest the fifth race from Post 2 in the $10,000 Breeders Trophy Series for trotting fillies. Miss Melodie won the opening round division in a mild 2:03.4 for driver Stephane Gendron.
“The best quality this filly has is that she does not make breaks,” Velaye said. “But she needs to improve her speed to be able to compete with the top fillies because they go around 2:00.”
Sired by Prestidigitator, Miss Melodie sports two wins this year for Velaye. She was bred and is owned by Determination of Montreal.
Kinnder High Class (Post 4) is the morning line favourite, and in the second leg of the series she wired the field for driver Pierre Luc Roy in 2:00.3. HP Starlette (Post 3) is also a good filly who shows strong closing ability and a record of 1:56.4 at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
“It will be a big surprise if she beats them Friday,” Velaye added. “If everyone else has trouble staying on stride, maybe we can sneak in another win like the other one. She will capitalize on the others misbehaviour.”
Horsepeople and fans are reminded of the change in post time this Friday to 1:00 p.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
To view the harness racing entries for Friday at H3R, click the following link: Friday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)