Throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand, harness racing is held at various distances that can range from sprints of three-quarters of a mile to extra distance races of almost two miles in duration – the same as in Thoroughbred racing.
But in North America, essentially all harness racing events are held at just one mile with a few exceptions, and one of those exceptions is taking place at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec on Sunday.
In Race 10 this Sunday (July 31) at Hippodrome 3R, pacers will go the extra distance, as a two-mile test is all set to go. The race is only a prep for the upcoming five-mile race called 'Le 5 Milles' at the fair track of St-Aimé des Lacs in Charlevoix, Quebec (on August 14) where the horse will have to do ten laps.
This year, the Le 5 Milles, one of the oldest stakes races in the sport, will feature its 105th edition. Last year’s winner, Sea Donkey and driver Stephane Gendron, ironically, are not in the two-mile race, yet Sea Donkey is racing at 3R Sunday in Race 11, which is a standard one-mile pace.
Last year the world record was set at 3R in this two-mile race when Aarons Mattjesty, driven by Denis St-Pierre, won in 4:03.4. That record is in jeopardy of being rewritten this year.
Sunday’s early favourite is Strokin, who will start from the second tier (in Post 10) for driver Louis-Philippe Roy, who is the leading driver at the Hippodrome 3R this season.
Strokin is heading into the race after having set a track record two starts ago at Ormstown (on July 16), when he won a 1.5-mile race by three lengths in 3:12.2. The seven-year-old gelding by Whosurboy sports seven wins this season for trainer Yves Tessier, who has a very impressive universal training rating of .520 at 3R this season.
The Quebec Jockey Club’s public relations team asked Louis-Philippe Roy about the strategy with Strokin when going into a two-mile race.
“I really don’t care about where I am in the race,” Roy explained. “I mostly care about how the horse is. I want him to be relaxed. It might be in the pocket as well as up front, it’s not the same with every horse.
“Last year when the record for two-miles was set at 3R,” Roy said, “We slowed down only for a quarter of a mile from what I remember, and that’s why we went that fast.”
“I really don’t know why Strokin did so well last week.” Roy said. “The way he raced in the 1.5 mile at Ormstown, it looks like he is good on that kind of extra distance races.
Roy has also driven in the Le 5 Milles.
“I have driven twice in Le 5 Milles,” Roy said. “The first time was with my own horse, Huronexpress and I finished fourth. The second time was last year with Brussebeach, but we didn’t go all the distance as I felt he had gave all he had before the end.”
Does having to start in the race from Post 10 in the second tier bother Roy?
“Post 10 does not worry me [for] this kind of race.” Roy said.
Second choice in the race is Hockey Bum from Post 5 for driver Gaetan Lamy. A regular at 3R for many years, the ten-year-old son of Electric Stena won last week on the Quebec Fair Circuit, and two starts ago was second to Strokin in the 1.5 mile race at Ormstown.
A newcomer to Trois-Rivieres is Bazing Brad, who will start from Post 6 for driver Stephane Gendron. The five-year-old Perfect Union horse is shipping in from Hiawatha Horse Park where had been first, second or third in his last six starts, including a 1:55.3 score. He is also being trained by Yves Tessier.
Other contenders in the race include Force Seelster (Post 7), Northern Juno (Post 3) and P L Gyro (Post 4).
Also on the program Sunday are four divisions of the Future Stars Series at the Hippodrome 3R for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies.
For free program pages, courtesy of the Quebec Jockey Club, click here.
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at 3R, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.
(QJC)