National Debt, a top stakes contender at age three and four, has resumed his winning ways once against and goes for his fourth straight win Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R in the Invitational Pace.

It won’t be a walk in the park for the $348,000 career winner as he has drawn the far outside and starts from post eight in the eighth race on 3R’s half-mile oval.

Now age six, the gelded son of Allamerican Native, bred by Winbak Farm and owned by Francois Morin of Beauceville, is trained by Yves Tessier and will be driven by Stephane Gendron. In his past two victories, National Debt has raced over sloppy tracks, but that has not hindered his performance, winning last week at Rideau Carleton in 1:55.1. Two starts back he won at 3R in 1:57.1.

“He is a very good horse with a big heart,” said driver Stephane Gendron. “This Sunday’s race features many good horses. He will face a lot of traffic starting from the outside in post eight.”

In all three of his prior wins, National Debt has won from off the pace and usually never leaves early, even from inside post positions.

“I think he can beat them on Sunday,” Gendron added. “It will all depend on how the race is run. In his first win of this streak, he paced the final quarter at Rideau in :27.4. As long as I can put him in the right spot, he will be very good in here.”

The race favourite is Quebec Champion Wildriverbumblebee, who was scratched sick at 3R back on October 8. He has drawn post seven for driver Stephane Brosseau and is on a five-race winning streak for trainer Francis Richard and owner/breeder Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Eaton.

The lone three-year-old is going against older horses, but has had an amazing short season in 2017. He has only nine starts with seven wins. In his last start he won the $50,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final at Mohawk Racetrack in 1:52.1 and back on September 11, took his lifetime mark with 1:51.2 triumph, also at Mohawk.

The third return winner in the field is Atomic Million AM, who starts from post nine in the second tier for driver Mario Charron. This three-time Quebec-Series Champion at age two, three and four is on a two-race winning streak for owner/trainer/breeder Alain Martin of Gatineau, and is moving up in class to take on the best pacers at 3R.

Other contenders include Bali (post five) who has won two of his last three starts, Glass Shadow (post one), who two starts back won the Invitational at 3R and the lone mare in the field of nine, Rainbow Palace (post three), who has won this season at 3R in 1:54.3.

First race post time Sunday is 12:30 pm. For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.

(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)