The trotters are in the limelight once again at the Hippodrome 3R Tuesday evening as track record holder Whitewater Rapids takes on Erge Baboche in the feature race of the night.
Last week it was Erge Baboche who emerged on top with a strong closing effort against another track record holder, Margarita Bi, catching the top mare at the wire for a three-quarter triumph in 1:58.2. It was a lifetime mark for the seven-year-old grey stallion by Newtown.
Erge Baboche will start from post five for driver Stephane Brosseau and owner/trainer Eric Poisson. They are the 3-1 second choice in the race.
The 5-2 morning line favourite is Whitewater Rapids, who on June 10 set the track record for older stallions with a 1:57.1 triumph for owner/trainer/driver Guy Gagnon. The six-year-old son of Credit Winner is a $244,000 career winner and will start from post six.
Other contenders in the race are Next To Go (post 4) and Parkhill Jugernaut (post 3).
This past Sunday when Viva Bayama rewrote the track record for three-year-old trotting fillies with her impressive 1:59.3, it broke an 18-year-old mark that was set by the trotting filly Emilie Cas El.
The former track record holder may not be that familiar a name to many in the sport today but she should be.
She is the dam (mother) of this past Saturday’s $1 million Hambletonian Trot winner, Trixton. Emilie Cas El was a top Canadian performer in 1994 and 1995, earning more than $245,000. Then as a broodmare she foaled not only Trixton, but Impressive Kemp, a $500,000 winner and $111,000 winner Highscore Kemp.
Due to the Grand Prix auto race that goes throughout the town of Trios Rivieres and at the Hippodrome 3R next week, there will be no live harness racing at the track on Sunday and the following Tuesday.
(Quebec Jockey Club)
To view entries for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.