The History Of Quebec's Prix d’Été

Coming up on Sunday, Aug. 18, the Quebec Jockey Club will present its richest and most prestigious race of the year at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres, Que., with the return of the $200,000 Prix d’Été.

Prix d’Été means Summer or Classic Prize and the classic event now features only four-year-old harness racing pacers, but back in the day, it was the most prestigious race in all of Canada for three-year-olds.

This race was held for the first time in 1966 under the name of Prix d'Automne (Autumn Classic) at the now defunct Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal. The race was open to pacers aged four and older. A $50,000 purse made it the richest harness race at that time in Canadian history. That first edition in 1966 was won by none other than Brett Hanover and trainer/driver Frank Ervin in 1:59.

Within a year, the race was renamed the L'Amble du Centenaire (Centennial Pace) in honour of Canada’s 100th anniversary and was made open to pacers age three and older. 

In 1968, it became the Prix d'Été and in 1971, was modified to a stakes race for three-year-old pacers.

Over the years, many of the sport’s greatest three-year-olds won the Prix d'Été, including Precious Fella (1976) with driver Gary Cameron in 1:56.4, Niatross (1980) and trainer/driver Clint Galbraith in 1:53.4, Cam Fella (1982) with trainer/driver Pat Crowe in 1:55.1 and Matts Scooter (1988) for driver Michel Lachance in 1:54.3, just to name a few. An entire list of previous Prix d'Été winners is below.

The last time the Prix d'Été was held at Hippodrome 3R was in 2019. Then COVID-19 and its lingering effects caused the race to be cancelled until 2024.

The richest ever Prix d'Été was $663,500 back in 1991 and was won by Beach Towel and Ray Remmen in 1:53.1.

The world’s greatest harness racing drivers and trainers have raced in the Prix d'Été over its many years. Three drivers have won the race twice in its history. They are Keith Waples (1972, 1975), Michel Lachance (1988, 1989) and Yannick Gingras (2014, 2016). Two trainers have each won the Prix d'Été three times. They are Billy Haughton (1967, 1970 and 1974) and Ron Burke (2015, 2016, 2019).

The stakes record for the event was in 2019 when This Is The Plan and driver Daniel Dube won in a blazing 1:49.1. That was the first time any race in 3R’s history went under 1:50. At the time, it was not only the stakes and all-age track record at 3R, but the fastest half-mile race in Canadian history.

The entry box for the Prix d'Été closes on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 11 a.m. We will then see who will be eligible to wear the Prix d’Ete crown in 2024.

Previous Prix d'Été Winners
Year – Horse –  Driver – Trainer – Winning Time – Purse
2020-2023 – Race not held
2019 – This Is The Plan – Daniel Dube – Ron Burke – 1:49.1* – $200,000
2018 – Beckhams Z Tam – Ricky Macomber – Jamie Macomber – 1:52.1 – $200,000
2017 – Western Fame – Trevor Henry – Jimmy Takter – 1:53.2 – $200,000  
2016 –  Rockin Ron – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 1:52 – $200,000
2015 – All Bets Off – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke – 1:50.3 – $200,000
2014 – Sunfire Blue Chip – Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter – 1:50.3 – $200,000
1993-2013 – Race not held
1992 – Direct Flight – John Campbell – Kelvin Harrison – 1:52.1 – $307,400
1991 – Die Laughing – Richard Silverman – Jerry Silverman – 1:51.2 – $603,500
1990 – Beach Towel – Ray Remmen – Larry Remmen – 1:53.1 – $663,500
1989 – Goalie Jeff – Michel Lachance – Tom Artandi – 1:52.1 – $632,500
1988 – Matts Scooter – Michel Lachance – Harry Poulton – 1:54.3 – $582,200
1987 – Frugal Gourmet – Trevor Ritchie – Blair Burgess – 1:53.3 – $548,000
1986 – Armbro Emerson – Walter Whelan – Brian Burton – 1:56 – $527,500
1985 – Falcon Seelster – Tom Harner – Tom Harner – 1:53.2 – $358,000
1984 – Butler BG – Ted Wing – Camilla Standfield – 1:53.4 – $411,500
1983 – Ralph Hanover – Ron Waples – Stewart Firlotte – 1:54 – $411,500
1982 – Cam Fella – Pat Crowe – Pat Crowe – 1:55.1 – $377,000
1981 – Seahawk Hanover – Ben Webster – Skip Lewis – 1:55.3 – $226,1000
1980 – Niatross – Clint Galbraith – Clint Galbraith – 1:53.4 – $161,650
1979 – Hot Hitter – Herve Filion – Lou Meittinis – 1:54 – $181,150
1978 – Abercrombie – Glen Garnsey – Glen Garnsey – 1:55.4 – $150,750
1977 – Governor Skipper – John Chapman – Bucky Norris – 1:54.3 – $154,750
1976 – Precious Fella – Gary Cameron – Del Cameron – 1:56.4 –  $162,700
1975 – Alberts Star – Keith Waples – Keith Waples – 1:58 – $140,000
1974 – Armbro Omaha – Peter Haughton – Bill Haughton – 1:57.4 – $150,000
1973 – Armbro Nadir – Nelson White – Nelson White – 1:56.1 – $130,000
1972 – Strike Out – Keith Waples – John Hayes – 1:58.2 – $100,000
1971 – Albatross – Stanley Dancer – Stanley Dancer – 1:57.2 – $75,000
1970 – Laverne Hanover – George Sholty – Bill Haughton – 1:57.2 – $75,000
1969 – Race not held
1968 – True Duane – Chris Boring – Leon Boring – 1:58 – $50,000
1967 – Romulus Hanover – Bill Haughton – Bill Haughton – 1:57.1 – $50,000
1966 – Bret Hanover – Frank Ervin – Frank Ervin – 1:59 – $50,000
*Stakes and all-age track record

(Quebec Jockey Club)