It will be the battle of the sexes come Friday afternoon (June 10) at Hippodrome 3R when three fillies and mares take on three male rivals in the Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Trot. In fact, the three harness racing ladies all received outside post positions.

The $6,000 second race features X O X O for the new barn of Michel Allard. Recently purchased by D Racing Stable of Middletown, New York, the four-year-old mare by Angus Hall gave notice she likes her new connections on May 29, wiring the field for driver Kiwon Waldron in a lifetime best 1:59.4. She has been assigned post six and will be gunning for her third win this season in her sixth start.

The top filly Stella Alpha goes from post five for driver Pascal Berube. This three-year-old by Royalty For Life has been facing older horses and has won three of her last four starts. A Quebec Bred champion last year at age two, Stella Alpha has four wins this season for trainer Sylvain Tremblay, whose Ecurie Alpha bred and owns.

The third return winner in the field is Laa Dee Gaa, a four-year-old mare by Googoo Gaagaa, who is also on a tear for trainer Carl Duguay, winning last week in a 3-1/2-length romp in 2:00.4.

The three male trotters in the race are: Morally Flexible (Post 1, Daniel Theroux), Muscles Forever (Post 2, Sylvain Fontaine) and P C Heisenberg (Post 3, Marie-Claude Auger).

The co-feature is the sixth race Mares Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Pace.

Starting from post six, La Petite Grise is returning from a four-length romp in this class last week for driver Pascal Berube. The unique grey mare by Sportswriter has been at her best as of late, winning three of her last four starts for trainer Fernand Jodoin, who co-owns the filly with Michael Letendre. Last week, she wired the field in 1:57.

Another return winner in the field is Sophies Cam (Post 4). She had the same post in her assignment last week and wired the field in 1:57.3. Sophies Cam will be driven by Simon Delisle.

Also, a main contender is Platine Alpha (Post 5) for driver Jimmy Gagnon. The Ecurie Alpha homebred was second last week to La Petite Grise after getting parked out the mile.

Friday post time at 3R is 4 p.m. Sunday post time at 12 noon. Free race programs for Friday and Sunday are available for free at hippodrome3r.ca.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.

(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)