This Sunday the Hippodrome 3R and Standardbred Canada are hosting the $31,700 Lucien Bombardier Pace for two-year-old pacing fillies with seven young fillies battling it out.

One of the “pioneers” of horse racing in Canada, but especially Quebec, Lucien Bombardier devoted his entire life to the industry. Born and raised near Bedford, Que., Bombardier retired in 1992 after 16 years on the board of directors of the Canadian Standardbred Horse Society.

Bombardier started training and driving harness horses at agricultural fair meetings in Quebec at an early age. In the early 1940s he left a business career to open a large racing stable at Richelieu Park in Montreal and in 1953 he accepted an executive position with Blue Bonnets (then Hippodrome de Montreal).

During 25 years in racetrack management he played a role in developing many changes and innovations that helped make harness racing a major sport industry and earned him an enviable reputation on both sides of the border. He also served as a director of Harness Tracks of America and the Canadian Trotting Association.

On the racetrack for the Lucien Bombardier Stake in the eighth race will be the fastest two-year-old pacing filly in the history of the Hippodrome 3R in My Fleet Three.

She will start from post three and will be driven for the first time by driver Mario Charron. But having a new chauffer every week has not hindered this excellent daughter of Mach Three as she has won her last two starts in track record time at 3R.

Last week was the fastest for driver Daniel Dube, as they led from start to finish in the $55,000 Quebec-Bred Series Finale in 1:57.4. The prior week it was Denis St Pierre and they first broke the old record with a 1:57.1 triumph.

My Fleet Three is trained by Richard Moreau and was bred and is owned by Gestion Mario Audet, Inc. of Yves Sarrazin, Que. and has earnings this year of $32,210.

Hoping to tie a rope to My Fleet Three will be return winners Rightly Said (post 4) and Ainsleynoelle (post 2), along with Rainbow Palace (post 6) and First Girl (post 7), all vying to get a part of the rich purse.

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

(QJC)