Both the year-end leading harness racing driver and trainer titles are on the line at the Hippodrome 3R this Sunday, which is also the last day of the 2015 live race meet.
Denis St Pierre currently leads Mario Charron for the driving title by just four wins, 48 to 44. St Pierre will not be at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday, which opens the door for Charron to take a shot at winning the title.
Charron has horses to drive in 10 of the 12 races on the program. Just last week, Charron became the first driver of the entire season to win five races on one program. This Sunday, Charron has a very good chance of surpassing St Pierre for the driving title as he is listed on seven horses that are either the first or second choice on the morning line odds.
As for the training title, it will be a dogfight between Maxime Velaye, who holds a slim one-win lead (19) over Jean Tourigny at 18.
Velaye is sending out three horses from his stable on Sunday, the best chance of them for a victory is Maximuscle, who is the race favourite in the eighth race feature trot.
Tourigny has just two horses entered, but one of them is the tough filly Pop Goes Theweasel in the fourth race pace. She is trying for her fourth straight win.
It is a very strong 12-race program on Sunday with nine starters in most of the races. Plus the competition for both the driving and training titles will add to the excitement throughout the afternoon. First race post time Sunday is 1:30 p.m.
After Sunday’s program is completed, the Hippodrome 3R will be open seven days a week featuring the best Thoroughbred and Standardbred race programs in North America via simulcasting.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(QJC)