Both Frido PV and Seeyou Men were at their best capturing their respective $6,500 divisions of the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters in identical times of 1:58.3 at Hippodrome 3R on Friday, June 23.
Both trotters will now headline their $30,000 championship for older horses and mares at 3R on Sunday, July 9.
Frido PV (pictured above) went off as the overwhelming 1-9 favourite for driver Jonathan Lachance and the six-year-old son of Muscle Mass did not disappoint. He left from post four and led the field with Capteur De Reve and Stephanie Brosseau sitting on their backs, through fractions of :29.1 and 1:00.1 to the half-mile.
Royalty Beer and trainer/driver Kevin Maguire were late off the gate and started up first-over as they raced to the backstretch, but they were unable to collar Frido PV as he let out a notch after the three-quarters in 1:28.4. He drew off down the stretch, winning by 3-1/4 lengths over Capteur De Reve with Royalty Beer back in third.
The win was the third straight and fifth in just six starts on the year for Frido PV. He has been trained since a foal by Yves St Jacques for owner/breeder Marcel Brouillard. Frido PV is the winningest horse at 3R this season with his five victories. He paid just $2.20 to win.
In the other division of the Quebec-Bred Series, former Quebec champion Seeyou Men, now 11 years old, showed his heels to his younger rivals for driver/trainer Guy Gagnon.
A champion back in 2015 and 2016, Seeyou Men started from post three and Gagnon sent the popular trotter right to the front. They were challenged early by return winner Orlys Pride, who quickly took the two-hole seat for Jocelyn Gendron.
Seeyou Men cut the mile to the quarter in :28.4 then backed it down at the half-mile in 1:00.4. In the backstretch, driver Robert Shepherd went charging up first-over with Only For Justice and collared Seeyou Men before the three-quarters in 1:29.1. Then Only For Justice went off-stride and was out of the race, leaving second-over Ciel Bleu and Brosseau first-over. That left Seeyou Men alone on the lead and he was able to coast home to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Orlys Pride was second with Ciel Bleu third.
The win was the fourth win this year from nine starts for Seeyou Men, a Muscle Mass gelding co-owned by breeder Chantal Gravel and Catheline Pelleteir. A 45-time career winner, he paid $4.40.
Jocelyn Gendron was the only driver to double up on Friday.
Live harness racing resumes at 3R on Sunday afternoon starting at 12 noon. The program will feature two divisions of the final preliminary round of the Quebec-Bred Series for the pacers. For a free race program for Sunday, visit hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)