Lucky Promesses will be put to the toughest test of her career on Sunday when she tried for her tenth straight victory, moving up in class and taking on the best trotters at the Hippodrome 3R in the Invitational.
The four-year-old mare by Lucky Fool, is the winningest horse this season at H3R for owner, breeder and driver, Jerome Lombart. Seven of her nine wins have come at H3R and she will start Sunday from post two in the ninth race. She is one of two mares (Torches Angel post six) in the field against six male rivals.
Trained by Andreane Lapierre, Lucky Promesses first started her win streak at H3R back on July 4 and has been flawless since then. She took her record at Rideau Carlton with an impressive 1:58.2 score and in her last three starts, all at H3R, has won by a total of 17 lengths.
It will not be a “walk in the park” for Lucky Promesses Sunday. She is actually listed at odds of 7-1 due to the stellar field of opponents she faces.
The race favourite at 5-2 is Unabating from post five for trainer/driver Guy Gagnon. This nine-year-old gelded son of Broadway Hall is having another banner year for owner Catheline Pelletier of Mirabel, sporting six wins and five second place finished in 15 starts already. In his last start he won the Invitational at H3R in 1:59.1.
Also making a big jump in class is Capteur De Reve from post eight for driver Pierre Luc Roy. Last week Capteur De Reve captured the $65,000 final of the Breeders Cup Series at H3R, leading from start to finish in 2:00.1 for trainer Maxime Velaye and the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel, who bred and owns the son of Muscle Mass.
It was the second straight year that Capteur De Reve has won the Quebec-Bred Series Final, but the colt has never raced well from an outside post. He has three wins this year, the fastest a lifetime mark of 1:56.1.
Other contenders in the field include the hard-hitting Caroluzzo (post three), Federal Strike (post one), the “old man” of the field, Four Starz Speed (post seven), who won the Invitational two starts back and another promising three-year-old, Kinnder Dangerous (post four).
Sunday’s feature is the eighth race, the $38,500 Lucien Bombardier Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies. The 5-2 favourite is Azure Seelster from post four. She has won three of her six starts and in her last outing, won from post 11 at Mohawk Raceway in the Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots with an impressive 1:54.4 triumph.
The race is sponsored by Standardbred Canada and the Quebec Jockey Club.
Post time Sunday is 12:30 p.m. For a free race program or additional information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
(Quebec Jockey Club)