Again this week, Hippodrome 3R will not stage a Friday program, but will host action under the auspices of the Québec Regional Circuit on Saturday (June 19) at 1 p.m. The regular Sunday (June 20) program will follow the next day at 12:30 p.m.

The Québec Regional Circuit is a group of 10 “racetracks” — usually training centres — throughout the province, which brings local participants, including many amateurs, the chance to race on their “home turf.” Because of COVID, Regional Circuit racing was limited to four cards at Hippodrome 3R in 2020. This will be the second stop for the Circuit at 3R in 2021; it is hoped that the trouble the virus has caused may diminish, and that there still may be a few “local” stops in 2021.

On Saturday, there will be two contests for amateur drivers: one for females and one for males. There will also be races for two-year-olds — one for each gait — with trotting filly Crazy Lilly and pacing filly Girl Scout Cookie looking to build on second-place finishes in their debuts last week.

Sunday’s top race will be the $5,500 Preferred 1-2 Handicap Trot, with four-time Québec-bred series champion Capteur De Reve making his second start of the year. However, the horse to beat will be Bucketlist Hanover, whose 1:56.1 victory here on June 6 came within one-fifth of a second of tying the all-age mark for trotters at 3R, co-held by Pablo Angus and Michaelangelo.

There will also be a $4,500 Preferred 2-3 Handicap Pace for fillies and mares. Topsill Beach is rated the early favourite; long shot players may fancy D GS Fairystars, who paid $56.70 to win on June 4.

Pascal Bérubé has had the hot hands early in the meet at 3R, winning at a 24 per cent clip, and leads all drivers in wins, followed by perennial top teamster Stéphane Brosseau and the exciting newcomer Samuel Fillion. Trainer Sylvain Tremblay has been even hotter out of the gate, and leads all trainers in victories with an amazing 47 per cent win rate. All of these horsemen will be in action at 3R this weekend.

To view this weekend's complete entries at Hippodrome 3R, click the following links: Saturday Entries | Sunday Entries.

(Québec Jockey Club)