Hippodrome 3R will host the second round of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old trotters on Friday (August 6).
In the fourth race, $8,000 first division for fillies, the 4-5 race favourite is HP Felicity, a daughter of Muscle Mass who has yet to win a race, yet has already earned $33,000 this season. Perhaps it’s all in the bloodlines.
HP Felicity is from the broodmare Canaco Runner (by Promising Catch), who was a multiple Quebec stakes winner with a record of 1:54.2 and earnings of $466,034.
As a mother, Canaco Runner is a 100 per cent producer from four foals. HP Felicity is a half sister to HP Titania Runner (1:54.4, $448,441), a full sister to HP Running Mass (3,1:54) and a half sister to HP Run Like Mom (3,1:59.4h).
HP Felicity has shown promise on the racetrack, timed in 1:58.4 twice in stakes at Mohawk Park and her last start was timed in 1:59.2 at Grand River Raceway’s half-mile oval.
On Friday, HP Felicity starts from post five against a large field of nine rivals. She will be driven by Jocelyn Gendron for trainer Jean Tourigny and owners/breeders Claude Hamel of Ayer’s Cliff, Que., and Michel Damphousse of Louisville, Que.
"We thought we'd bring her to Trois-Rivières because she seems comfortable on the half-mile,” Hamel said. “As she just showed at Grand River (time of 1:59.2).
"Jean Tourigny developed her in Ontario,” Hamel added. “She is very reminiscent of her mother. She is a filly that is all business and I am very curious to see how she will react for us at H3R. So far, she has not made any breaks, neither in her races nor in qualifying. This is a good sign for a two-year-old. She finished second in her first [Ontario Sires Stakes] Gold Series try and fifth in the second try. Maybe this kind of race awaits her, and will help her to build her confidence.”
It may not be a walk in the park for HP Felicity as she faces undefeated Stella Alpha, who starts from the far outside in post eight for driver Pascal Berube.
Three-for-three at H3R this season, Stella Alpha will have to be at her best to remain undefeated. While she has slowly gained in speed with each of her victories, she won her last start in 2:05 for trainer Sylvain Tremblay, who says she will continue to improve with each start.
Stella Alpha has shown the ability to leave out of the starting gate and stay on stride as she has wired the field in nearly all of her three wins so far for Tremblay’s Alpha Stable of Metabetchouan, Que., which owns and bred the filly.
There are three rounds of preliminary action in the Future Stars Series with the top eight-point earners returning to H3R on Sunday, Sept. 12 for their respective $55,000 finals.
The colts do battle in the second race where the entry from the Jean Maguire Stable heads the lineup.
Royalty Beer is the strongest of the entry. In his last start in the opening round of the series, Royalty Beer was at his best, leading from start to finish in 2:04.3 by an impressive 11-1/4 length romp for driver Kevin Maguire.
Royalty Beer and Kevin Maguire start from post four. He is sired by Royalty For Life. His stablemate, Cleveland Massimo, starts from post three with Jean Maguire in the sulky.
Their contenders are Sammy Justice (post five), Kenogami Rebel (post two) and Jello Shot (post one).
Post time Friday is 4 p.m. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries.
(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)