Two-year-old pacing fillies are in the limelight on Sunday (Oct. 3) and will battle it out at Hippodrome 3R in the annual Lucien Bombardier Stakes, going for a purse of $28,000.
This year’s stake features Sunjet Ray (Post 2), who after winning the $50,000 Quebec Series final two starts back at 3R, was a game third, timed in 1:54.1 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in the Grassroots. Also in the field is Shezis A Beauty (Post 5), a 1:56.1 winner two starts back at Grand River Raceway in the Prospect Series.
One of the "pioneers" of harness racing in Canada, but especially Quebec, Lucien Bombardier devoted his entire life to the industry. Born and raised near Bedford, Bombardier retired in 1992 after 16 years on the board of directors of the Canadian Standardbred Horse Society.
The following year, at age 86, Bombardier became the first honorary director of the CSHS. His appointment by the board of directors in January 1993 was in recognition of achievement and contribution to the Society and the Standardbred industry.
Bombardier was also honoured in 1985 when he was recognized for his life-long devotion to the industry when he was the recipient of the Society's General Achievement Award for his excellence, leadership and contribution to the breeding industry and by his election into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame the following year.
Bombardier started training and driving harness horses at agricultural fair meetings in Quebec at an early age. In the 1940’s he left a business career to open a large racing stable at Richelieu Park in Montreal and in 1953 he accepted an executive position with Blue Bonnets which then became the Hippodrome de Montreal.
During 25 years in racetrack management, he played a role in developing many changes and innovations that helped make harness racing a major sport industry and earned him an enviable reputation on both sides of the border. He also served as a director of Harness Tracks of America and the Canadian Trotting Association.
At age 68 Bombardier retired from Blue Bonnets and embarked upon a new career when he became an executive with Angus Farms in Bedford, Que., one of the province's most successful breeding establishments. Bombardier died in 1995 and was honoured each year at Hippodrome de Montreal with the running of the Lucien Bombardier Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies.
With sponsorship from Standardbred Canada and the Quebec Jockey Club, the Hippodrome 3R revived the stakes race in 2011.
The Lucien-Bombardier Pace existed in Quebec long before the years of the last decade. It was raced at The Hippodrome de Montreal and its ancestor Blue Bonnets.
The renewal of the race returned to Hippodrome 3R in 2013, thus this year’s edition is the 9th revival. Here are the previous winners at H3R.
2013 - The duo of Marc Bélanger and Stéphane Beaudoin registers two fillies and one of them, Alevala Hanover — driven by Belanger — takes the honours of the $31,600 first renewal from post 8 in 1.59.3.
2014 – With a purse of $31,700, the winner was Mo Molly Blue Chip, a Rock N Roll Heaven filly, in 1.58. Denis St-Pierre was in the sulky for trainer Yves Tessier.
2015 - It was a muddy track as the winner, Miss Babe Delight (sired by Bettors Delight), scored the lion’s share of the $35,200 in 2:05.4. Mario Baillargeon drove the Dany Fontaine-trained filly.
2016 – The era of driver Louis-Philippe Roy began to shine and trainer Colin Johnson called on his services to lead Future Headlines, a Sportswriter filly. She won in 1.58.1, for a purse of $30,600.
2017 - Azure Seelster, a protégé of Jacques Dupont came to 3R to take the honours of the $38,500 event in 1.58.4 with none other than Louis-Philippe Roy driving the daughter of Shadow Play.
2018 - Cooking The Speed (So Surreal), trained by Michel Allard wins the $32,700 race in 1.59.2 with Stéphane Gendron in the sulky.
2019 – Driver-trainer Guy Gagnon brought one of his protégés, Tugginoncredit, an Up The Credit filly, who won the $29,400 purse in 1:56.3.
2020 – Trainer Chantal Mitchell and driver Louis-Philippe Roy join forces to allow Game Of Shadows (Shadow Play) to tear up the racetrack in 1:54 for a purse of $33,800. That established a new stakes record for the event.
First race post time Sunday is 12:10 p.m. For more information and a free race program, visit hippodrome3R.ca. To view Sunday's entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)