Throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand, harness racing is held at various distances that can range from sprints of a half mile to extra distance races as long as five miles.
In North America, nearly 99 per cent of all harness racing events are held at just one mile, with a few exceptions – one of those exceptions is taking place at the Hippodrome 3R in Quebec today (Sunday, July 29).
Sunday’s ninth race at H3R will feature a field of 10 pacers that will contest a two-mile event. The race is a prep for H3R’s upcoming five-mile race called 'Le 5 Milles,' which will take place at the regional fair track of St-Aime des Lacs in Charlevoix, Quebec on August 12, where the horses will have to do ten laps.
This year, the Le 5 Milles, one of the oldest stakes races in the sport, will feature its 108th edition. It is one of the oldest stakes races in North America.
In 2016, Strokin set the world record on a half-mile track at H3R with his victory in 4:02.4.
Over the past few years, the world record has been broken in the two-mile race. It was Aarons Majesty and driver Denis St-Pierre who rewrote the mark in 2015, which was then rewritten again by Strokin in 2016.
This year, the race’s early favourite is Clever Thing from Post 8 for driver and co-owner Tyler Jones. The eight-year-old gelding by Stonebridge Regal has recorded four wins this year for co-owner and trainer Francis Guillemettel. In his last three starts he has been second each time, and back on June 30 he led from start to finish at 1.5 miles in 3:01.4 on the Quebec Regional Fair Circuit.
His main competition looks to come from American Blue Chip (Post 3), Northern Juno (Post 4) and Brussebeach (Post 10), who is coming to H3R off a 1:57.1 triumph in the Quebec Fairs.
Also, H3R’s Sunday program will feature three second-round divisions of the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies. Featured are outstanding performers Hudson Phil, Stock and Kinnder Jackson, all of whom will face each other in the eighth race.
Track Notes: This is the last live race program at H3R for the next two weeks due to the Grand Prix car racing that takes over most of the town of Trois-Rivieres. The next live program will be on Thursday, August 9, when H3R hosts the $120,000 finals of the Quebec-Bred Series for four and five-year-old trotters and pacers.
Post time this Sunday will be 12:50 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)