In order to solidify the card for the Quebec/Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championship (QEORDC), Standardbred Canada held a conference call with the tournament's eight driving participants on Thursday, May 30 to finalize the horses they will drive this upcoming Sunday, June 2 at Hippodrome 3R.
This marks the first time in history that a draft call has been coordinated for the QEORDC. This format, adopted from the National Driving Championship, allowed drivers to take part in selecting the horses they would drive in each race.
The eight drivers will participate in eight competition races. Each race will have a field of eight and each driver will compete in eight races and drive from every post position.
The QEORDC drivers selected the horses they wanted in a fantasy-draft-style format, with each driver getting the opportunity to select first overall in one of the eight tournament races. Each driver had the opportunity to make a selection first through eighth during the draft, and the post position draw was held following the draft ensuring that each driver starts from post one through eight in the tournament.
The first race post time for the QEORDC card of harness racing is 12 p.m. (EDT) with the first QEORDC race taking place in Race 2. The QEORDC races will take place in Races 2 through 9.
To view Sunday’s complete harness racing entries, click the following links: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT)
Prior to Sunday’s card, be sure to tune into the Standardbred Canada (SC) website on Saturday, June 1 for a preview the QEORDC card in the Road to the Nationals video handicapping series, hosted by SC's Dan Fisher and John Rallis, with special guests Sophie Mongeon, Stephane Brosseau and Nick Boyd.
(Standardbred Canada)