She’s so good, she has to compete against male rivals. That’s the story of Rainbow Palace, the lone mare taking on the boys in the third race harness racing feature pace at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday.
She was voted the top-class performer at 3R last year with seven wins, all against male rivals. And this year she is doing the same again, two wins, two seconds, one third in just six starts.
Rainbow Palace goes from post four Sunday for owner and driver Francis Picard of Warwick. His brother, Dominique, is the trainer. She is listed as the 3-1 second choice in the morning line.
The fastest mile of the year at 3R is 1:55 and it is held by six horses, Rocky Boy, National Debt, Mister Big Top, Hooter Shooter, Washington Park and, of course, Rainbow Palace.
Last week the six-year-old mare by Royal Mattjesty was second to Jann And Dean, the week prior, she won in 1:55.2. She does her best racing when on the lead or near it but seems to thrive when having to race first-over as well.
This week the favourite in the feature race is Ufdragons Rocket from the far outside in post eight for driver Pierre-Luc Roy. This nine-year-old by Dragon Again ships to 3R from Rideau Carleton off a pocket-trip 1:54.3 score, his sixth win of the year for trainer Yves Tessier.
Other contenders include the entry from owner/trainer Marc Andre Simoneau of Hooter Shooter (post two) and Pantheon Seelster (post seven) plus Windsun Cheyene, another newcomer from Rideau Carleton, goes from post six.
In the seventh race pace, Requested, the 5-2 favourite starting from the rail post position, also driven by Francis Picard, can become the winningest horse so far in 2018 at 3R with four wins.
Track Notes: Tonight, Kawartha Downs hosts the Eastern Ontario / Quebec Regional Driving Championship. Eight representatives will fight it out, four from Rideau Carleton, two from Kawartha Downs and two from 3R. They are Stéphane Brosseau and Stéphane Gendron, our two leading drivers this season and last year.
The tournament features six races, and in addition to 3R’s two representative, other 3R drivers include Richard Simard, Guy Gagnon and Jonathan Lachance.
On Tuesday evening at 3R, the sensational three-year-old Sportwriter filly, All You Can Dream, returns after last week’s amazing 1:56 mile in her first pari-mutuel start. Post time is 6:30 p.m.
For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(with files from Quebec Jockey Club)