The Quebec-Bred Series for four and five-year-old Quebec-owned trotters will get underway at the Hippodrome 3R on Wednesday, May 19. The series is headed by former track record holder Maximuscle.

The series will feature three weeks of elimination competition. The top eight point earners will return to ‘3R’ on Sunday, June 14, for the $35,000 finals in both gender classes. Each elimination division will be raced for a purse of $6,500.

Maximuscle, who was a sire stakes champion at 3R as both a two and three-old, looms over his five competitors in the fourth race co-feature. He will start from Post 6 for driver Mario Charron and is overwhelming early favourite in the race.

Last year Maximuscle earned $105,000 for trainer Maxime Velaye and owner/breeder Ecurie Provoguante of Mirabel, QC. He also lowered his lifetime mark to 1:54.2 last season while racing at Mohawk Racetrack. By Angus Hall, Maximuscle will be making his 2015 debut on Wednesday.

His main competition will come from George S P (PP2), Andovers Touch (PP4) and Excel P V (PP5).

The first race is the first division for horses in the series and features Ken P V, who won over $20,000 last year for trainer Michel Fontaine. The five-year-old gelded son of Ken Warkentin will start from Post 2 for driver Raymond Vachon. They will be taking on front-runner SOS Masters Boy (PP6) and Somoli E (PP1).

There are two divisions for trotting mares (Races 3 and 6).

Track record holder and 2014 sires stakes champion Viva Bayama will returns to 3R in strong form this season. Last year she tore apart the Quebec-Bred series for three-year-old fillies, not only winning more than $58,000, but rewriting an 18-year-old track record for her age, gait and gender with a 1:59.2 record.

Viva Bayama will start from the rail for driver Denis St Pierre and comes into the race having won four of seven starts already this year at Rideau Carlton Raceway. The four-year-old mare by Muscle Mass is trained by Sebastien Groux and is owned by Richard Dinelle and Andre St Laurent.

Looking to give Viva Bayama a race will be undefeated Canbec Kangourou, who will be looking for her third straight win at 3R for driver Jocelyn Gendron and Bambie Benjo from Post 2.

The second division is headed by Ocean Mist Beauty, a $42,000 winner last year. The daughter of Kadabra will start from Post 3 for driver Stephane Brosseau. She will take on SOS Afterthestorm (PP4) and Y S Intrigante (PP1).

The Wednesday live program at 3R will get underway at 7 p.m.

To view the harness racing entries for Wednesday at 3R, click the following link: Wednesday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.

(With files from Hippodrome 3R)