On Sunday (October 30) at the Hippodrome 3R, Le Millenaire (The Millennium in English) is going for his third straight win. He starts from post three in the third race feature trot.
A three-year-old colt by Windsong Espoir, Le Millenaire did not race at age two, but is making that up this season with six wins, four seconds and one third-place finish in 12 starts so far in 2016, all of this despite the loss of one of his eyes.
Le Millenaire is trained by Serge Nadeau and is owned and bred by Marcel Brouillard of St-Marcel-De-Richelieu, Que. He is driven by Stephane Brosseau.
“He is a very big colt,” Brosseau said, “and because of his size is mainly why he did not race at age two. He started off this season on the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit. He was not too smart at first, but he kept learning.
“He only has use of the one eye,” Brosseau said, “and maybe that is why he is a bit crazy on the track. He never stands well in the winner’s circle. They had to work on him a bit earlier this year and he is getting better. He has not really showed me that much speed yet. But he is very sound and good gaited.
“Because of his size I think he will become better with age,” Brosseau added. “He is so big, but now does better on the small tracks. Last week, he won for fun and I think I could have gone a second or two faster. We will see this Sunday, but I think every start he learns more and will get better."
“He is not for sale,” Nadeau said, jokingly. “I like this colt very much and I think over time he will have a very good future.
“When he was being trained at age two his right eye kept dripping and got worse and worse until he lost his sight in it,” Nadeau explained. “Yes, he is a bit wild on the track, but we have taken our time working with him and he has settled down some.
"Stephane Brosseau knows how to handle him on the track and has done very well with him.”
Le Millenaire is the 5-2 morning line favourite on Sunday and races as an entry with Holiday Gift (Sylvain Fontaine), who starts from post one. Both Le Millenaire and Holiday Gift have been racing against each other most of the season and currently Le Millenaire leads the rivalry with four wins over Holiday Gift, who has three wins against Le Millenaire. This is the eighth time the two have raced against each other this year.
“I think my colt is a little bit better right now than Holiday Party,” Brosseau added, “But we will see on Sunday. I do not think he will get beat.”
Post time is 1:30 p.m. For a free race program, quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from QJC)