He was the two-year-old champion pacer in Quebec last year and Stock has now returned to defend his title at age three, competing in one of four divisions of the opening round of the Breeders Cup Series at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (July 15).

Up until last week, Stock was not doing as well as he did last year when he won five of his eight starts for trainer Dany Fontaine and owner-breeder Sotirios Anastasopoulos of Sainte-Therese, who co-owns Stock with Ecurie Gaetan Bono, Inc. of Montreal.

So far in 2018, Stock has just one win in eight starts. But that lone win was in his last start, where the colt by Sportswriter romped by seven opening lengths in an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event in a lifetime best clocking of 1:51.4, last quarter mile in :27.3.

That mile alone has made Stock the overwhelming favourite in the ninth race, the second of two divisions for colt pacers. He will start from post five for driver Stephane Brosseau and goes against minor foes Challenge Magic (post one), Big Mach (post three) and Classic Terror (post four).

The first division is the third race where unbeaten Kinnder Jackson goes for his fifth straight win. This son of Allamerican Native is coming off a lifetime best 1:56 mile in his last start for breeder, owner and trainer Denitza Petrova of Melbourne. He starts from post six for driver Justin Filion.

“He came out of his last race in very good shape,” Petrova said of Kinnder Jackson. “He is feeling very good. I don’t know how he will do from post six and there are some nice horses in his race.”

“I was really impressed with him last week,” said Filion. “He does it so easy and I never pulled the ear plugs on him. Tomorrow is depending on race luck, especially when you have an outside post on a half-mile track.”

Other contenders in the field include two newcomers in Play Jet Bay (post one) and Hudson Phil (post two) who was just second by a nose in 1:51.1 last week in a conditioned race for OSS Grassroots starters.

The fillies see action beginning in the fifth race where 3R’s own Lune Bleu goes for her fifth straight win. Last week she once again wired the field for driver Pierre Luc Roy in 2:01.2, the slowest of her four wins this year. She is a daughter of Big Jim, trained by Maxime Velaye and bred and owned by Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. She starts from post two.

Her main rival will be the race favourite, Butterfly BG, from post three for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon. She is sired by Sportswriter and was bred and is owned by Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy.

Butterfly GB was second this past Thursday at Rideau Carleton Raceway and prior to that had won impressively 3R in 1:57. Contenders include Hammering Haley (post seven), D Gs Shadowsbell (post four) and Roxane (post one).

Katniss S BG is the favourite in the eighth race second Breeders Cup division for fillies. She starts from post three for driver Pascal Berube and ships in from Clinton Raceway where she was second last week in the $60,000 Kin Pace.

Also in the race is the hometown favourite, All You Can Dream, from post six for driver Stephane Brosseau. This filly by Sportswriter has won two of her three lifetime starts the past month at 3R, the fastest in 1:56 in her pari-mutuel debut mile.

Other fillies to watch for include Lit De Rose (post seven), Flash Panic (post two) and Miss Rockadali (post five), who ships in from Rideau Carleton off a sharp victory in 1:55.2.

First race post time is 12:50 p.m. Sunday. For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.

(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)