This Sunday seven two-year-old pacing fillies will battle it out at Hippodrome 3R in the annual Lucien Bombardier Stakes, honouring one of the pioneers of harness racing in Canada.
Bombardier devoted his entire life to the industry. Born and raised near Bedford, Que., 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 honourary 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 honored 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 early 1940s 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 sports industry, earning 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 seventh race Sunday is the $33,800 Lucien Bombardier Pace and the morning line favourite is the Shadow Play filly, Game Of Shadows. She starts from post four for driver Louis-Philippe Roy, who also co-owns with 1876472 Ontario, Inc.
Chantal Mitchell trains Game Of Shadows, who earlier this season took her lifetime mark of 1:53.2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. This will be her first start ever at 3R. Roy will drive, and he's listed in most of the races at 3R Sunday.
Second choice in the race is the Control The Moment daughter, Platine Alpha, who starts from the rail for driver Pascal Berube. She was third last week in the $55,000 Future Stars Series Final, timed in 1:56.2. Platine Alpha is trained by Sylvain Tremblay and is owned and bred by Tremblay’s Alpha Stable of Metabechouan.
Other contenders in the Lucien Bombardier Stakes include Ibiza Panic (Post 6), return winner Shanghaibluebeach (Post 5) and SOS Northernbeauty (Post 2).
Sunday’s card also has a Preferred-Handicap Pace for both the horses and for the fillies and mares, and both feature three-year-olds now facing older horses as the stakes season in Quebec has come to a close in 2020.
Mickeymaksomespeed makes that transition in the eighth race as he is the lone three-year-old in the Preferred field. He has won three of his last five starts for owner, breeder and trainer Michel Allard, the fastest a lifetime mark of 1:53.3 at Rideau Carleton Raceway. The son of Mickey Hanover sports eight wins in eleven starts this year.
Also, in the field are return winners Speed To Market (Post 4), Guinness Panic (Post 5), Farmers Tan (Post 7) and Hooter Shooter (Post 8).
In the fifth race for the fillies and mares, Acaena De Chakrika (Post 5) takes on older competition for driver Stephane Brosseau. This daughter of Sunshine Beach nearly swept the entire Breeders Trophy Series, finishing a game second last week in the $65,000 final. She has won three of her last five starts, the fastest a lifetime mark of 1:56.4 for trainer Dany Fontaine.
Acaena De Chakrika is the morning line favourite, going against top contenders Sophies Cam (Post 6), Sieras Rose (Post 8) and Y C Easy (Post 1).
Post time Sunday is 1:00 p.m. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca. To view the entries for Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)