HP Patriote headlines the third round of the $450,000 Breeders Cup Series for three-year-olds at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday afternoon (July 17).
There are two divisions for both colt and filly pacers as they vie to earn points to be one of the eight finalists for the $65,000 finals on Sunday, September 4. After Sunday, there is one more preliminary round.
Trained by Gerard Demers, HP Patriote has been nearly perfect in 2016. The son of Vintage Master sports six wins in seven starts this year for co-owner/breeder Claude Hamel of Ayer’s Cliff, Que. and Les Ecuries GLD Inc.
With two sharp wins in the series so far, HP Patriote starts from post four in the fourth race, first colt division on Sunday. In his first start at 3R, he ripped off a 1:56 romp winning by five and one-half lengths for driver Guy Gagnon. Then last week over a sloppy track, won impressively again, this time for new chauffeur, Louis-Philippe Roy, in 2:00.2.
This week, HP Patriote, who has beaten all but one horse in the field, faces a game Dance With Joe in post seven. This week driver Mario Baillargeon is not at 3R and Daniel Dulude will be driving Dance With Joe from post seven.
In his two starts in the series, Dance With Joe won the opening week with a four-plus length romp in 1:58.2 and last week was second then placed third for making a break on the lead in the stretch after a big move in the backstretch.
Sports Authority battles with Mr Mach Jimmy in the eighth race, second colt division. Last week, Sports Authority and driver Mario Charron returned to winning form on the sloppy track with a 2:00.1 triumph. The Sportswriter colt has four wins in seven starts this year.
Mr Mach Jimmy goes from post four for driver Pascal Berube and last year’s series champion is still winless this year in seven starts. Other contenders include Pudong Phil (post six) and Diesel Panic (post three).
The fillies do battle in the third and sixth races. Missing from the lineup this week are prior winners HP Sissy and Miss Babe Delight, but returning from an impressive win last week is Yves Filion’s Clodam Bayama.
Last week, Clodam Bayama blew away the field over the sloppy track, flying three-wide in the backstretch from seventh place, collaring the race leader on the final turn and winning by a half-length.
A homebred daughter of Bettors Delight, Clodam Bayama and Filion will start from post six in the sixth race and goes against Imagine Speed (post six), HP Pandora (post four) and Drift Panic (post two).
The third race is a wide-open affair with no series winners in the field. Wild River Swan (post two) was a game second in the opening round for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and Art De Gagnee (post six) was third to Clodam Bayama last week.
Post time Sunday is 1:30 p.m. For a free race program and live video streaming of the race card, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from QJC)