The Future Stars Series gets underway at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (August 16) with four opening round divisions for two-year-old pacers, headlined by three top contenders from Bayama Farms of Saint-Andre-D’Argenteuil.
Hall of Famer Yves Filion is no stranger to 3R and his Bayama homebreds have always been top performers in the sport. This Sunday is no exception for the famed horseman.
There will be three rounds of preliminary competition in the Future Stars Series with the top eight point earners eligible for their respective $55,000 finals on Sunday, September 27.
Filion’s Celia Bayama heads the third race first division of the series for two-year-old pacing fillies. The daughter of Bettors Delight starts from post six with Filion in the sulky. Although winless in three starts this year, Celia Bayama has shown exceptional speed in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots, raced timed in 1:56 and 1:56.2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and Grand River Raceway.
She will be taking on recent 3R winners Platine Alpha (Post 4), Nikita Sena (Post 2) and the second choice in the race, CL Sportsextreme (Post 1), who already boasts two OSS Grassroots wins in 1:57 and 1:56.2.
The second filly division in the sixth race does not feature a Bayama horse, but is headlined by D Gs Magicmoment from post one. This Control The Moment filly, trained by Guylaine Fortin and to be driven by Jonathan Lachance, was third in her last start at Mohawk, raced timed in 1:54.3 and already shows a qualifying win in 1:58.2.
Her main competition will come from SOS Faline (Post 5), who has two wins at Rideau Carleton Raceway, the fastest in 1:56.2.
The colts get underway in the Future Stars Series in the fourth race where Colonel Bayama starts for Filion from the rail and faces a formidable foe in D Gs Runforhim (Post 5). Both colts show sub-two-minute speed despite being winless.
The top contender on the afternoon program for Yves Filion goes in the second colt division. That's Cadillac Bayama, who leaves from post six in the seventh race.
Last week at Mohawk, Cadillac Bayama -- with Filion’s son Sylvain in the sulky -- won his OSS Grassroots division in 1:53.4. The colt by Sunshine Beach takes on another Mohawk invader named YS Do It Right (Post 5), who was second in 1:53.2, showing a last quarter mile in :27.
The nine-dash card of harness racing gets underway at 1:00 p.m. Sunday. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca. To view the entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)