It will be a homecoming of sorts for the trotting mare X O X O (Angus Hall) as she returns to the Hippodrome 3R Sunday (June 4) where she began her exciting harness racing career.
Now age five, X O X O has come home to prepare for the start of the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters. The series, which was suspended for the past three years, has been brought back for the 2023 season by the Quebec Jockey Club.
The series is open for trotters and pacers ages four and older that were eligible for the series. There will be three weeks of preliminary competition at H3R culminating with $30,000 Finals.
It is a bitter-sweet homecoming for X O X O as she is winless in her ten starts this season at Northfield Park in the USA. In fact, the last time X O X O raced at H3R was back on June 10, 2022 when she won the Preferred Trot in 2:00.1.
After leaving H3R for Yonkers Raceway in New York, X O X O went on a six-race winning streak, ending the season with nine wins, earnings of $83,191 and a lifetime mark of 1:53.4 taken at Northfield Park. But that was last year.
X O X O has returned to the stable of Michel Allard for owner Danielle Henri of Saint-Esprit, Quebec and will be driven by Jocelyn Gendron from the rail in the sixth race Preferred Trot on Sunday.
She is listed as the 7-2 third choice in the race, one of only two mares in the Preferred class going against five males, including race favourite Frido PV.
Undefeated in both his two starts this year, Frido PV (Muscle Mass) is the opposite of X O X O as he was winless last year in just six starts for trainer Yves St Jacques, yet now is on a tear for driver Jonathan Lachance.
Last week in this same class, Frido PV moved to the lead at the half mile marker and tore away from the field to win by three and one-half lengths in 1:58.3. He starts from post seven on Sunday.
Another contender in the field is the “Princess of Trot” at H3R, Stella Alpha, who goes from post two for driver Pascal Berube.
A Future Stars Series Champion at age two, track record holder at age three, Stella Alpha is another one like X O X O, as she has yet to win in six starts in 2023 for trainer Sylvain Tremblay. Last year she won 11 times in her 26 starts.
Then in the fourth race trot, four-time Quebec Champion, Capteur De Reve (Muscle Mass), showed he is ready for the series to begin next week as last week he won his first start of the 2023 season with a 2:01.3 triumph for trainer Maxime Velaye. Capteur De Reve goes from post six for driver Stephane Brosseau against top contenders Muscles Forever (post 8) and Keep All (post 4).
The pacers are in the limelight in the tenth race Preferred Pace where for the second straight week, the entry from the Gina Bragagnolo Stable of BS Tyrrific (Richess Hanover) and Perpetual Rock (Pet Rock) take on former Quebec-bred Champion Aladdin (Shadow Play).
Perpectual Rock (post 6) was the stronger part of the entry last week, nearly wiring the field in 1:56.2 for driver Pascal Berube while stablemate BS Tyrrific (post 4) was a game third for driver Jimmy Gagnon.
Aladdin (post 7) is making his first start of the season for trainer Maxime Velaye off a very impressive seven length qualifying race romp in 2:00. He will be driven by Stephane Brosseau.
Then, the pacing mares get underway in the very first race where former Quebec-Bred Champion, Godiva Lovely Lady (post 3) and driver Robert Shepherd take on returning winners Dads Princess (post 2) and Clear The Credit (post 7).
There are 13-races on the H3R card on Sunday with first race post time at 12:00 p.m. The majority of the races are full nine-horse fields and after four race programs, the average win payoff per race stands at an impressive $14.49, one of the highest average win prices per race in North America.
(Quebec Jockey Club)