Royalty Beer, who two starts back at Hippodrome 3R scored a lifetime best 1:59.2 triumph, returns to Quebec for the Preferred trotting feature on Friday.
In his last start, trainer/co-owner Jean-Francois Maguire took Royalty Beer to Ontario to try his luck in a $22,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots contest at Grand River Raceway. Starting from the far outside in post eight with Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky, they left hard and made the lead, cut the mile to the half, then was second at the three-quarters and then faded badly in the stretch to be seventh. The race went in 1:58.4.
Now back at H3R, Royalty Beer will have to try his luck from the second tier has he drew post nine in the $6,000 sixth race feature. The Royalty For Life gelding will be driven by Kevin Maguire, who also shares ownership.
Among his main rivals will be one of only two mares in the nine-horse field, Laa Dee Gaa, who goes from post five for driver Stephane Brosseau. Laa Dee Gaa is a four-year-old mare by Googoo Gaagaa, who is trained and owned by Carl Duguay. In her last start, she was second to the top mare X O X O in 2:00.4. Two starts back, she was a winner at H3R, scoring a lifetime-best 2:00.4 romp.
There is an entry in the race, Stella Alpha (post four) and Archimed Alpha (post seven), listed as the 5-2 morning line favourites. Stella Alpha, the other filly (she is only age three), will be driven by Pascal Berube. She was the Quebec Bred champion last season at age two and already has four wins this year for trainer Sylvain Tremblay, who bred and owns the filly by Royalty For Life. Archimed Alpha will be driven by Kiwon Waldron off a qualifier last week at H3R where he distanced the field in a romp. The Tremblay homebred is a four-year-old, also sired by Royalty For Life.
The live race card gets underway at 4 p.m. on Friday. H3R also has live racing on Sunday beginning at 12 noon, with Preferred events for both the mares and the horses featured on the program.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)