Hippodrome 3R kicks-off a three-day weekend of harness racing action starting Friday afternoon (Aug. 7), with the best pacers and trotters in Québec squaring off in three Preferred Handicap events on the eight-race program.
The action gets underway Friday in the second race, the Preferred Handicap Mares Pace. Hammering Haley (post 6) returns from victory in last Sunday's event for driver Stephane Brosseau. She led from start to finish last week in 1:59.4 over a sloppy track and is the 5-2 morning line favourite.
Also in the race is rival Wild River Swan (post 8), who came up just a head shy of beating Hammering Haley last week. Other contenders include Sieras Rose, a recent 1:58 winner; Y C Easy (post 4); and Twice An Angel (post 2).
The Preferred Handicap trotters will do battle in race three, where Precieuse CC (post 7), one of four mares in the race, is the early favourite. She will be driven by her owner-trainer Claude Beausoleil. They won two starts back at H3R in 1:57.4.
Other horses to watch are Upvote Hanover (post 6), Missionoftheheart (post 8), Lucky Promesses (post 4) and Sir Chopin (post 5).
The older horses will compete in the seventh race, where Rideau Carleton invader Speed To Market (post 5) is the early favourite. He ships in off an impressive 1:56.1 triumph for driver Pascal Berube and trainer Yves Tessier and will be going for his fifth win of the year.
Last week’s 1:56.4 return winner, D J Power, gets handicapped off his triumph, and starts from post 8 for driver Samuel Fillion. Other contenders include Windsun Cheyenne (post 4), Maracasso (post 7) and Outlaw Turn N Burn (post 6).
All the Preferred races are on Friday this week as Sunday (Aug. 9) starts the opening round of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old pacers. The third round of the Québec Regional Fair Circuit takes place on Saturday (Aug. 8). Friday’s card starts at 4 p.m., and racing on both Saturday and Sunday will begin at 1 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
(Québec Jockey Club)