This Sunday six two-year-old pacing fillies will battle it out at the Hippodrome 3R in the annual Lucien Bombardier Stakes, going for a purse of $30,600.
One of the "pioneers" of horse racing in Canada, but especially Quebec, Lucien Bombardier devoted his entire life to the industry. Born and raised near Bedford, QC, Bombardier retired in 1992 after 16 years on the board of directors of the Canadian Standardbred Horse Society.
The following year, at age 86, Bombardier became the first honorary director of the CSHS. His appointment by the board of directors in January 1993 was in recognition of achievement and contribution to the Society and the Standardbred industry.
Bombardier was also honoured in 1985 when he was recognized for his life-long devotion to the industry when he was the recipient of the Society's General Achievement Award for his excellence, leadership and contribution to the breeding industry and by his election into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame the following year.
Bombardier started training and driving harness horses at agricultural fair meetings in Quebec at an early age. In the early 1940s he left a business career to open a large racing stable at Richelieu Park in Montreal and in 1953 he accepted an executive position with Blue Bonnets (now Hippodrome de Montreal).
During 25 years in racetrack management he played a role in developing many changes and innovations that helped make harness racing a major sport industry and earned him an enviable reputation on both sides of the border. He also served as a director of Harness Tracks of America and the Canadian Trotting Association.
At age 68 Bombardier retired from Blue Bonnets and embarked upon a new career when he became an executive with Angus Farms in Bedford, Que., one of the province's most successful breeding establishments. Bombardier died in 1995 and was honoured each year at Hippodrome de Montreal with the running of the Lucien Bombardier Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies.
With sponsorship from Standardbred Canada and the Quebec Jockey Club, the Hippodrome 3R revived the stakes race in 2011.
This year's stakes event takes place in the third race and features a newcomer to 3R, Future Headlines.
This daughter of Sportswriter is trained by Colin Johnson, who co-owns the filly with Thomas Kyron and Dived Heffering. She starts from post two and has three starts this year, all at Mohawk Raceway.
In her first pari-mutuel start, a $70,000 Ontario Sire Stakes, Future Headlines was an easy winner in 1:55.
She was then fourth in a two-year-old stake and then in her last start, in a $105,000 Ontario Sire Stakes, she was third, race timed in a blazing 1:52.3. She will be driven Sunday by 3R’s leading reinsman, Louis-Philippe Roy.
Her main competition will come from D Gs Elsa in post four driver Jonathan Lachance.
This filly by Shanghai Phil may be winless in five starts, but she sports four straight second place finishes, all in the Future Stars Series at 3R for trainer Guylaine Fortin.
Last week in the $55,000 Future Stars Series Final, D Gs Elsa was able to follow pacesetter Queen Elsa right to the wire, losing by just three-quarters of a length in 1:57.1.
Another newcomer to 3R is Crazy Alice from post three for the Rick Zeron Stable. Although winless in five starts she has been race timed in 1:56.2 in her last start at Mohawk Raceway and Rick Zeron will be driving the daughter of Shadow Play.
Rounding out the field are Chaleurs Melodie (post one), Vee Breeze (post five) and Kinnderuntouchable (post six).
Post time Sunday is 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
(QJC)