Two-year-old trotting fillies and colts will be in the spotlight on Friday, July 19 at Hippodrome 3R with the start of the Future Stars Series.
The series will feature three weeks of preliminary round competition with the top eight point earners returning on Sunday, Sept. 8 for their respective $55,000 finals.
The fillies are featured in the sixth race with eight youngsters battling it out for a purse of $10,000. Heading the lineup is Miche Charm from post six for driver Denis St. Pierre. Miche Charm is trained by Jeremy Marcotte for owner Denis Marcotte of Notre-Dame De La Paix, Que. The Muscle Mass filly is out of the 100 per cent producing dam, Exquisite Charm, and is a sibling to five additional foals that have made the races.
The hometown favourite is Chic Choc Rose (pictured above) from post three for trainer/driver Marie-Claude Auger, who happens to be the breeder of the Royalty For Life-Torches Angel filly that she co-owns with Catheline Pelletier and Arianne Girard. A debut winner last week at 3R, Chic Choc Rose is a half sister to Quebec-bred champion last year and recent Breeders Trophy division winner Sensi Amnesia, also owned by Auger and Pelletier.
With only three colts entered in the first round of the Future Stars Series, they will race between the first and second pari-mutuel races on Friday for a purse of $10,000. The field features Jerome Lombart's well-bred Im Just A Gigolo (Lookslikeachpndale-Promising Lavec), who is a half-brother to trotting stars X O X O and Lucky Promesses.
A well-matched field of trotters will compete in the ninth race, a $6,500 event for Quebec-bred high-steppers. The field features recent 3R winners X O X O and Only For Justice, taking on other top contenders Frido PV, Thats Hooligan and Ciel Bleu.
First race post time on Friday is 4 p.m. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)