Sunday, July 8 at Hippodrome 3R features the third and final preliminary round of the Quebec-Bred Series for four- and five-year-old pacers.
These harness racing horses compete to secure points to be one of the eight finalists in the $30,000 finals on Thursday, Aug. 9.
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Race three goes as the first division with Dance With Joe starting as the morning-line favourite from post three. The five-year-old son of Roll With Joe won the second leg of the series after being challenged early in the mile and did not give up the lead for driver Pascal Berube, going on to win in 1:55.3.
That was his fourth win of the year at H3R and now Dance With Joe is tied with Kinnder Jackson, also with four wins, as the two winningest horses at H3R this season.
Dance With Joe starts from post three and has won four of his last five starts for trainer Christine Davignon and owner Daniel Dulude of Ste-Martin.
Last year’s three-year-old champion, Wildriverbumblebee, goes from post four for trainer Francis Richard. The son of Sportswriter tried to lead from start to finish in his last start in the Invitational Pace but spit out the bit at the top of the stretch and finished seventh for driver Stephane Brosseau.
C L Sportaction is another major contender from post six for driver Jonathan Lachance. In his last start in the series he parked first-over from the start, held his ground for most of the mile and then finished fourth.
HP Sissy highlights the mares' pacing feature on the card, going in race eight. The mare by Up The Credit starts from post five for driver Stephane Brosseau following a season including nine victories and $141,000 earned, with last season's wins coming in the Breeders Cup final at H3R and in the top classes at Yonkers Raceway.
Bred and co-owned by Claude Hamel with Michel Damphousse, she now races for trainer Jean Tourigny who is a bit distressed with his mare, who finished third in a photo in her last start in the series.
“I am worried about her,” Tourigny said. “Because her breathing is not good and she is way over stressed. I do not know how she will behave on Sunday. If she is less stressful and breathing a lot better we will find out. We need to race Sunday and make sure she is eligible to the final. I am at a loss of how to get her better for the future."
Queen Elsa, the two-year-old champion at H3R, also competes in the mare feature. She starts from post two for driver Stephane Gendron but in her last start she raced on the outside and could not gain ground, finishing fifth.
There are three return winners in the race, Skyfall Sena (post three), Art De Gagnee (post four) and Wild River Swan (post one), who all won their last start.
Skyfall Sena was a 1:57.4 victor by a nose against Imagine Speed (post eight) in the series. Art De Gagnee won just last week with a lifetime mark of 1:56.2 for driver Pierre Luc Roy while Wild River Swan (post one), who is the full younger sister to Wildriverbumblebee, is coming of a 1:58.2 win on the Quebec Fair Circuit.
First race post time is 12:50 p.m. You can get a free race program by visiting here.
Next Tuesday, first race post time at the Hippodrome 3R will be pushed ahead to 7:15 p.m. due to a motorcycle event taking place.
(With files from the Quebec Jockey Club)