Slowly but surely harness driver Stephane Gendron has been nipping away at the wins during his career and on Tuesday evening at the Hippodrome 3R, he may very well achieve a special career milestone, win number 4,000.
Gendron, who first started driving back in 1989, has been a popular figure in Quebec racing, especially at H3R, throughout his career.
Come Tuesday, Gendron hopes to get his 4,000th career win in one of the two drives he has on the program. And his chances, based on last week’s performance, look pretty good.
Gendron will be driving the odds-on favourite, Carl Duguay’s Y S Suzanne, in the sixth race, second division of the $100,000 Quebec-Bred Series for four- and five-year-old trotters.
Y S Suzanne starts from post six and is on a three-race winning streak for owner/trainer Duguay. The four-year-old mare by Angus Hall is at her best with five wins already this season. Last week in the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series, Gendron and Y S Suzanne were parked out going for the lead, but once on top she held the field at bay and pulled away in the stretch for a four and one-half length triumph.
Other hopeful contenders in the field include Y A Jailhouse Jodi in post three for driver Guy Gagnon. They were second to Y S Suzanne last week, along with Grace And Claire (post eight) and Artemis Duharas (post seven).
And if Y S Suzanne does not give Gendron his 4,000th win, then he comes right back in the seventh race Invitational Trot, where he will drive the always game Caroluzzo from post eight. He has won his last two starts at H3R in the top trot for Gendron.
The older horses do battle in the Quebec-Bred Series in the fourth race, where track record holder Wildwild Men is the overwhelming race favourite after his impressive victory in the opening round last week.
Driven by Robert Shepherd for trainer Isabelle Darveau, last week Wildwild Men posted his first win in three starts this year, looking super impressive in wiring the field by three and one-half lengths in 1:58.3.
Bred by Chantal Gravel and co-owned with Catheline Pelletier, Wildwild Men is an entry with stablemate and older brother, Seeyou Men, who is age five. Both brothers are sired by Muscle Mass.
Wildwild Men starts from post four with his older brother starting alongside in post five for driver Guy Gagnon.
Hoping to rebound from making a costly break at the start last week is Quebec-Bred Champion last year, Holiday Party. He starts from the rail for driver Pascal Berube while last week’s second place finisher, KFM Amigo Cool, starts from post two for driver Stephane Brosseau.
First race post time Tuesday evening is 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
(Quebec Jockey Club)