The richest stakes series of the season at the Hippodrome 3R, $450,000 in combined purses, gets underway Sunday (July 3) with the opening round of the Breeders Cup for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies.

There are four weeks of preliminary competition for both pacers (Sunday) and trotters (Tuesday), all culminating on Sunday, September 4 with the top eight point-earners returning for the $65,000 finals in all four divisional classes.

Sunday features two divisions of both colt and filly pacers. The colts go first in the third and sixth races.

HP Patriote heads the third race from post six for driver Guy Gagnon. The son of Vintage Master has won four of his five starts already this season -- the fastest a 1:55.4 lifetime mark at Rideau Carlton Raceway. The Gerard Demers trainee takes on recent 3R winners Mister Gordo (post four) and Chummy Park (post five) along with last year's two-year-old Quebec-Bred champion Mr Mach Jimmy (post two).

Sports Authority puts his three-race winning streak on the line in the sixth race from post three for driver Mario Charron. The son of Sportswriter has been flawless as of late and yet to be tested at 3R for trainer Maxime Velaye. Ontario shipper Dance With Joe will be a fordable foe in post six as will Shanghai Warrior (post one) and EY Cowboy (post five).

The fillies are in the spotlight starting in race eight with last year’s two-year-old champion Miss Babe Delight starting from post six. This daughter of Bettors Delight won over $65,000 last year for trainer Dany Fontaine and will be driven by Pascal Berube. She has been competing at Mohawk Racetrack, but is winless in five starts this year. Wild River Swan was very impressive in her Tuesday victory and starts from post four for driver Louis-Phillip Roy. Another return winner in the field is Clodam Bayama (post five), who broke her maiden last week at Rideau Carleton with a 1:56.2 triumph.

The 11th race, second filly division has a very tough entry of HP Pandora (post three) and HP Sissy (post six), who both were bred and are co-owned by Claude Hamel of Ayer's Cliff, Que. HP Pandora is sired by Mach Three and is trained by Daniel Martin. She won earlier this season at 3R in 1:59.4 while HP Sissy is a daughter of Up The Credit, who is trained by Jean Tourigny. She is shipping in from Mohawk Racetrack, where took her lifetime mark of 1:54.2. Their main rivals will be recent 3R winners Star Speed (post two) and Heroes Sena (post eight).

TRACK NOTES: There are 12 races Sunday at the Hippodrome 3R. First race post time is 1:30 pm. For a free race program and live video feed via the internet, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.

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

(With files from QJC)