Sunday afternoon (Aug. 9) will kick-off the 2020 harness racing stakes season in Quebec with the opening round of the Breeders Trophy Series for pacing three-year-olds.
There are three preliminary rounds of competition leading to a $65,000 finals on Sunday, Sept. 27. The opening round Sunday has two divisions, two for colts and two for fillies.
The fillies get underway in the first race where Perfect Romi (post 5) is the morning line favourite despite being winless in four starts. The daughter of Perfect Union was a game second last week at Grand River Raceway, timed in 1:57.4. She was bred and is owned, trained and driven by Sylvain Lacaille of St-Paul-De-Joliette.
Perfect Romi will be taking on On Route (post 3), who has won her last two starts at Hippodrome 3R, YS Big Girl (post 2) and Lady D Morgan (post 7).
The third-race second division for fillies features the impressive Zar E IP (post 1) for owner-trainer Pierre Leclerc of Louiseville. This daughter of Up The Credit was unraced at age two and is now making up for lost time. With Pascal Berube driving, Zar E IP sports four wins in six starts, the fastest a 1:56 mark taken just last week at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Her competition includes Lotus Sena (post 6), who two starts back won at 3R in 1:57.2, Acaena De Charkrika (post 4) and N C Rockabye (post 2).
The colts are featured in the fourth race by Mohawk Raceway invader My Bettors Del (post 1), who despite being winless in seven starts this year was third last week by only a neck in 1:51.4. The Bettors Delight homebred colt will be driven by Stephane Brosseau.
Unbeaten Mickeymaksomespeed (post 3) is unbeaten in six starts this year, the fastest a record 1:54 mile at Rideau Carleton for breeders, owner, trainer Michel Allard of Saint-Esprit. Other return winners in the field include Eclat De Rire (post 7) and Shanghaigold (post 2).
The seventh-race second division for the colts is headlined by Retour Au Jeu (post 6), who is on a two-race winning streak for trainer Maxime Velaye and breeder-owner Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. The son of Hes Watching scored back-to-back 1:56 marks, winning from both on and off the pace.
Whitecookie (post 4), a 1:54.4 winner earlier this season for owner, trainer and driver Marie Claude Auger, comes into the series off a head loss in 1:51.4 at Mohawk last week. Other contenders include PLD Needy (post 2) and Kinnder Big Boss (post 7).
First-race post Sunday is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(Quebec Jockey Club)
To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.