When the trotter Jamigo and driver Daniel Laflamme take to the racetrack Sunday in the seventh race Invitational-Handicap at Hippodrome 3R, they will bring a long-time relationship behind the starting gate.
Jamigo is a ten-year-old gelded son of Amigo Hall and has raced every year of his career, most of that time under the tutelage of Laflamme of Terrebonne, Quebec.
“I had noticed that Jamigo was racing very well in London, Ontario,” Laflamme said. “But I thought he was just an ordinary horse. When I knew that he was for sale I thought he might be a good horse for racing at Hippodrome 3R, so we bought him.”
Over the years Jamigo has had numerous trainers and owners, but now Laflamme, along with his wife and trainer, Manon Lamothe, own him outright.
“He is a nice horse to train and take care of,” Laflamme explained. “The special side of him is his heart. He always gives the maximum effort he can.”
Last year was Jamigo’s best season of his career as he posted seven wins, the fastest a 1:57.2 mile in winning the Invitational Gold Trot at 3R, just one-fifth of a second shy of tying his lifetime record.
In his return to 3R on opening day (April 29), Jamigo and Laflamme ended up being parked out first-over from the half, finally clearing to the lead at the three-quarters and then winning by one and one-quarter lengths in 2:03.3 on a sloppy track that had a three-second allowance.
How will Jamigo do this Sunday against some tough trotters?
“I think he is ready to face the best on Sunday,” Laflamme said. “But winning is another story...we shall see.”
In the seventh race feature, Jamigo will face some formattable foes in Holiday Party and Rocky Boy.
Holiday Party is the race favourite and goes from post eight for driver Francis Picard. He has one win this season, but that was a lifetime mark of 1:55.2 taken at Woodbine earlier this season. Just last week he was second in the Invitational-Handicap Trot, race timed in 1:58.1.
Rocky Boy is in good form for driver Marc Belanger and goes from post five. Last week the eight-year-old gelding by Rocky Balboa was third in Torches Angel’s 1:57.4 mile, behind the winner and runner-up Holiday Party.
Other contenders include Four Starzz Speed (post seven), Tuscans Memory (post two) and return winner Ado Duharas (post four).
Track Notes: Hippodrome 3R’s leading dash winning champion from last year, Stephane Brosseau, is already leading all drivers after the first two race days with seven wins. He will have plenty of opportunities to expand on that lead as he has a drive in all ten races on Sunday.
As reported by Trot Insider on Thursday, Dr. John Bradbury has said that Wildriverbumblebee looks ready to make his first qualifier of the year at Hippodrome 3R next Saturday. The champion three-year-old pacer from last year remains eligible to the $200,000 Prix D’Ete.
First race post time Sunday is 12:50 p.m. To view the entries for Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)