“This is where I started my career. I never miss the opportunity to go there and visit my family and my wife's family. It’s always fun to come back.”
Homecoming is always sweet for driver Daniel Dube, and this Sunday will be no exception as the top-class driver returns to the Hippodrome 3R for the $200,000 Prix D’Ete.
Born and raised in Trois-Rivieres, Dube learned his trade on Quebec's harness racing circuit before venturing out to the U.S. where he has become one of the leading drivers in North America. He now battles annually with premier reinsman George Brennan and Jason Bartlett for the driving title at Yonkers Raceway, currently the richest racetrack in the sport.
Since leaving Quebec and coming to the United States back in 1997, the native son of Trois-Rivieres has tallied 8,162 wins in his career and $99,638,000 million in purses. He is in the top 20 of all-time money winning drivers in harness racing. But it is always special to come home.
"It is a pleasure for me each time I return to the Hippodrome 3R to race,” Dube said.
Dube’s primary reason for coming home is to drive Somewhere In L A, who is the 3-1 second choice in the $200,000 Prix D’Ete. The race is exclusively for four-year-old pacers and his is one of the best in North America.
Trained by Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter, Somewhere In L A (Somebeachsomewhere - West Of L A) is a career winner of $647,000 and just three starts back teamed up with Dube in winning at Yonkers in 1:52. Somewhere In L A will start from post position three in the tenth race feature.
“He (Somewhere In L A) is a really nice horse,” Dube said, “And Jimmy Takter would not send him up to Quebec if he was not ready to race. With a little racing luck I think we will be OK.”
The all-age track record was set last year in the inaugural revival of the Prix D’Ete when Sunfire Blue Chip erupted with a 1:50.3 victory, lowering the prior record by nearly three full seconds. Dube was second in the race with Duc Dorleans.
"The track at Trois-Rivieres is fast, there is no doubt,” Dube said. “It compares favourably with the best half mile tracks in North America.”
The quality of horses coming to 3R on Sunday for the Prix D’Ete and with a forecast of sunny and warm weather, last year’s track record may fall by the wayside.
2015 Prix D'Ete
1. All Bets Off (PP4) - M. Kakaley - R. Burke - 5-2
1A. Limelight Beach (PP6) - Ma. Macdonald - R. Burke - 5-2
2. Winds Of Change (PP1) - D. Jones - D. Jones - 7-2
3. Big Boy Dreams (PP2) - S. Allard - R. Allard - 4-1
4. Somewhere In L A (PP3) - D. Dube - J. Takter - 3-1
5. Boomboom Ballykeel (PP5) - M. Baillargeon - R. Moreau - 5-1
Dube is not the only Quebecois coming home on Sunday. Also joining him in the driver colony for 3R’s premier race day are top drivers Simon Allard, who drives Big Boy Dreams for his trainer/co-owner/brother, Rene Allard, along with Mario Baillargeon. All three are welcomed home by local trainers as Dube has eight drives and both Allard and Baillargeon have six drives each on the day.
On the Prix D'Ete undercard, three-time Quebec-Bred Sire Stakes champion Maximuscle returns to 3R Sunday to headline the eighth race Open Trot feature. He starts from post eight for driver Mario Charron and has yet another impressive season with six wins and one second place finish in just eight starts.
All four opening round winners in the $200,000 Quebec-Bred Series for two-year-old pacers, have returned Sunday for round two. They are Sagawi, HP Sissy, HP Mercedes and Mr Mach Jimmy.
Post time Sunday is at 1:30 p.m. To view entries for Sunday's card, click one of the following links: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R - Program Pages - Hippodrome 3R.
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)