The Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec kicks off its 2023 stakes season on Sunday (June 11) with the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series for four-year-old and up pacers.

There are three divisions of the first leg of the series -- two are for pacing mares and one for the horses. There are three preliminary rounds with the top eight point earners returning for their respective $30,000 finals on Sunday, July 9.

All eyes will be focused on the ninth race, which is the lone division of the Quebec-Bred Series for older horses, as The Light Speed makes his return to the Hippodrome 3R.

Shipping to H3R from Rideau Carleton Raceway, The Light Speed is on a three-race winning streak in the Preferred Pace and has won six of his nine starts this year for the Guy Gagnon Stable. Two of his last three starts were won in 1:51.1, tying his lifetime mark.

The Light Speed will start from post 7 for driver Jimmy Gagnon and is the 6-5 morning line favourite in the race.

Other contenders include D Gs De Vito from post 4 for driver Jonathan Lachance. He was second last week in the Preferred Pace at H3R and two starts back won in 1:56.4. Shanghaigold (post 1) was second by a neck in his last start and he will have Marie-Claude Auger driving.

The mares get underway in the fifth race featuring recent 2:00 winner Clear The Credit (post 3) for driver William Roy taking on the game Platine Alpha (post 5) with driver Jimmy Gagnon.

Platine Alpha had been battling against the top aged horses at H3R this season and Sunday races just against mares.

The seventh race second division spotlights Celia Bayama (post 4) returning to H3R from Ontario taking on Fancy Girl (post 1) and Kiss Me Bad (post 3).

First race post time Sunday is 12:00 p.m. (EDT).

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

(Quebec Jockey Club)