Three-time Quebec-Bred Series champion Capteur De Reve will kick off his 2019 season Friday night (June 7) at Hippodrome 3R as one of the main attractions in the Preferred-Handicap Trot feature.
The five-year-old gelding by Muscle Mass will start from Post 1 in the card’s feature (Race 8) for trainer Maxime Velaye and the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel, who bred and own the champion trotter.
Capteur De Reve is looking to become the first horse to ever win four consecutive ‘Quebec Champions’ when he begins in the Quebec-Bred Series that will get underway at H3R next week (Friday, June 14). There will be three weeks of preliminary competition and then a $30,000 final on Sunday, July 14. The only other horse that could also win four Quebec-Series Champions is pacer Wildriverbumblebee.
In preparing for the racing season, Capteur De Reve competed in two qualifying races at H3R (he triumphed in one last week in 2:01.1, which was an 18 and three-quarter-length romp). Stephane Gendron, H3R’s leading driver, will be in the sulky.
“We got a lot of snow this winter, too much snow,” said trainer Maxime Velaye. “He (Capteur De Reve) did have a lot of time off from last season and he actually lost a little bit of weight during the winter. He was kind of ‘overweight’ at the end of last season. Maybe that was one of the reasons he did not finish the year that well (laughing).”
A career winner of $206,000C, Capteur Du Reve has Velaye smiling this year.
“I know this is going to sound a bit cocky,” Velaye said. “But I think considering how well he has done the past three years, that Capteur De Reve will have an outstanding season. He has been training very strong this spring and is so easy going at the farm and I know he is in much better shape than last year.”
That is saying a lot, as Capteur De Reve will start off his 2019 season racing against some formidable foes.
Kinnder Dangerous, Capteur De Reve’s rival from last year, has been assigned Post 8 for Friday. In his last start, which was also his first start of 2019, Kinnder Dangerous nosed out Missionoftheheart in an impressive 1:58.4. Kinnder Dangerous is driven by Justin Filion for trainer/owner/breeder Denitza Petrova.
Missionoftheheart has also been entered (Post 6). Last Sunday, Missionoftheheart scored a 2:01 triumph on a ‘sloppy’ track, and the prior start finished second by a nose to Kinnder Dangerous.
Then there is Holiday Party (Post 7), who won in this class two starts ago in 2:00.
“I really think he can handle this field,” Velaye added, “but all the other horses in the race already have a couple of starts, and his last real race was back in November 2018. So, I wish for him to get a nice trip and finish his mile strong for Stephane Gendron and maybe we might see him in the winner’s circle.”
Velaye currently has 13 horses in his stable and he hopes that the public will see all of them racing at the Hippodrome 3R this season. Velaye was H3R’s leading trainer three years ago, but since then he has watched Francis Richard rise to the top and lead all conditioners the last two years.
“I hope I can come back and win the training title this year,” Velaye added, “But I know my friend Francis Richard has got more horses than I do and he has some really nice ones, too. So, he is going to be tough to beat again. The only thing I can do is try my best and see how it goes.”
H3R’s 10-race Friday program will get underway at 7:00 p.m. For a free race program, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the harness racing entries for Friday at H3R, click the following link: Friday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)