Every season there is a pacing or trotting mare that excels beyond their class, and at Hippodrome 3R, such is the case in 2017 between Lucky Promesses and Rainbow Palace.

Just last week, trotting mare Lucky Promesses saw her nine-race winning streak, mostly against male competitors, come to an end going against the best trotters at the track, and this Sunday (September 18), Rainbow Palace will once again see if she can show her heels to her male rivals in the Invitational Pace.

Rainbow Palace is a five-year-old mare by Royal Mattjesty from the unraced Cambest mare Matilda Hall. She is owned and driven by Francis Picard of Warwick and trained by his brother, Dominique. They purchased Rainbow Palace as a yearling at the Forest City Sale in London in 2013 for $7,500. She was consigned by Winbak Farm.

As a two-year-old, Rainbow Palace showed early signs of excellence at H3R, taking a record of 1:59 and then finishing third in the 2014 Lucien Bombardier Stakes.

Then at age three, and not eligible for the Québec-Bred Series, Rainbow Palace had to distinguish herself in overnight races for young horses, and she excelled, taking a record of 1:56.3. The results were so encouraging that the Picard brothers tried her three times at Mohawk Racetrack, where she was race timed in 1:53. They even tried her in the Grassroots Series at Hanover Raceway, where she finished fifth. Then last year, Rainbow Palace had to race mainly against male rivals at H3R where she lowered her record to 1:56.

But 2017 saw a faster and more assertive Rainbow Palace at H3R.

She currently has six wins, going mainly against male rivals in the Invitational Pace and has now won her last two starts. It was just two starts back that she was at her best, moving first-over from third place at the three-quarters and then coming on to win by a neck over Sports Authority in a blazing 1:54.3.

“I always knew,” Francis Picard said. “I would say that I had a very powerful mare, and now I know that I am dealing with a very fine and talented racehorse. When the time comes, I will not be at all embarrassed to allow her a second career as a broodmare. She belongs to a good bloodline and should produce foals that will succeed.”

Rainbow Palace has the rail in Sunday’s eighth-race feature. Of the eight male rivals she faces, she has beaten four of them this season and is the 5-2 morning line favourite to win again. At her current pace, she is well in line as a top candidate for the coveted title of the season’s best pacer. With one more victory, she will be tied with Lucky Promesses as the winningest horse at H3R this season, but there are eight rivals who will be all out to stop her winning ways on Sunday.

Bali, from post two, is also on a two-race win streak. Trained and driven by Marie Claude Auger, Bali was a 1:54.4 winning last week at Rideau Carlton. Ufdragons Rocket from post three is the winningest horse in the field this year with 12 victories for trainer Yves Tessier. Last week he also won at Rideau Carleton in a lifetime best 1:53.1.

Sports Authority (post six) returns after a brief layoff after losing that neck decision to Rainbow Palace, and Highpoint Chip (post eight) moves back to the top class after scoring two straight wins at H3R, the fastest a 1:54.3 triumph for trainer/driver Pascal Berube.

Rounding out the field are Crombie A (post four), Glass Shadow (post five), Pieraz (post seven) and Whitemountain Nemo (post nine), all of whom have won this year at H3R.

First race post time is 12:30 p.m. For a free race program for Sunday’s ten-race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.

(Québec Jockey Club)