A record 36 four-year-old pacers have been nominated to the 2018 Prix D'Ete, which will feature a $200,000 purse on Sunday, August 19 at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec.

Headlining the list of nominees is the 2017 Little Brown Jug winner Filibuster Hanover, the Ron Burke pupil that won $730,000 last season and lowered his mark to 1:48.4 over the Red Mile. Burke and company will be seeking their third Prix D'Ete victory in 2018.

Of the top ten money winning three-year-old colts and geldings from 2017 that are returning to race in 2018, eight are nominated to the Prix D’Ete, including the first six money winners.

The Prix D'Ete was the most prestigious race in all of Canada from 1966 through 1992. World champions Bret Hanover, Albatross, Niatross, Hot Hitter, Cam Fella, On The Road Again, Ralph Hanover, Matts Scooter and a host of other top pacers have won the Prix D'Ete.

In the past four editions of the Prix D'Ete at ‘H3R,’ the all-age track record was set and then tied, as both Sunfire Blue Chip (2014) and All Bets Off (2015) both won in 1:50.3. Then, in 2016, that season’s ultimate U.S. Harness Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit, came to 3R for the Prix D'Ete. After a dramatic neck-and-neck battle which unfolded during the final half mile of the race, Wiggle It Jiggleit finished second in an upset by Rockin Ron (1:52) over a ‘sloppy’ track. Rockin Ron made it two straight Prix D’Ete victories for the Ron Burke Stable.

Last year’s Prix D’Ete saw the Jimmy Takter Stable win for the second time (Sunfire Blue Chip was the first), as Western Fame and driver Trevor Henry wired the field in 1:53.2.

"We are very pleased with the quality of the horses that have nominated to this year's Prix D'Ete," said Claude Levesque, president of the Quebec Jockey Club. "The revival of this Grand Circuit event has developed to the great race it was before."

Last year, Filibuster Hanover, a gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, won the Little Brown Jug, the Bluegrass Stakes and the Pegasus Pace while racing against the best three-year-olds in the U.S. all season long.

Crawford Farms Funknwaffles is the second highest money winner in 2017 to nominate to the Prix D’Ete. Last year the gelded son of American Ideal bankrolled $595,000 for trainer John Butenschoen on the strength of winning the New York Sire Stakes Final, four NYSS divisions and he was second in the final of the Little Brown Jug.

Other contenders include last year’s Breeders Crown winner, Beckhams Z Tam, a $512,000 winner in 2017 by Always A Virgin for trainer Jamie Rucker, who in addition to winning the Breeders Crown, also won both of the Indiana Sire Stakes Finals and took a lifetime mark of 1:50.1.

Other major contenders for the 2018 Prix D’Ete include Miso Fast ($393,000), a 1:49.2 winner; Rock N Tony ($299,000), who also hails from the Ron Burke Stable; Art Scene ($290,000), who hails from the Rene Allard Stable; Drunk On Your Love ($260,000), a 2017 Ohio Sire Stakes Champion; and the Dr. Ian Moore-trained Classic Pro ($250,000).

Quebec-owned nominees include Quebec Sires Stakes champion Wildriverbumblebee, plus Art Scene, Histoire Enchantee, American Wiggle and Tymal Peacemaker.

"I want to invite everyone to come to Trois-Rivieres the weekend of August 19," Levesque added, "as we want everyone to come out and enjoy our great racing and Quebecoise hospitality."

Last year, a previous-record 33 four-year-old pacers were nominated to the Prix D'Ete.

The next nomination payment to remain eligible to the Prix D’Ete is April 15, 2018.

The Hippodrome 3R is also gearing up for its 2018 opening day, which will take place on Sunday, April 22. For more information, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.

The list of the 2018 Prix D'Ete Eligibles (after the March 15, 2018 payment) appears below.

AIR STRIKE
AMERICAN WIGGLE
ART SCENE

BAGS TO RICHES
BEACH BOOGIE
BECKHAMS Z TAM
BET ON BRETT
BEYOND DELIGHT
BLOOD LINE

CLASSIC PRO
CLASSY DRAGON

DRAGNET ALERT
DREAMFAIR B J
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE

EDDARD HANOVER

FILIBUSTER HANOVER
FUNKNWAFFLES

HISTOIRE ENCHANTEE
HURRICANE BEACH

LAWRENCETOWN BEACH

MAROMA BEACH
MEADOWBROOK TIGER
MISO FAST
MODERN REFLECTION

NORMANDY BEACH

ODDS ON DELRAY

PHOTOBOMBR HANOVER

R J P
ROCK N TONY

SPORTS COLUMN
STEALTH BOMBER
SUMMER SIDE

TYMAL PEACEMAKER

WESTERN HILL
WESTERN JOE

WILDRIVERBUMBLEBEE

(Quebec Jockey Club)