After a four-year hiatus, Hippodrome Trois-Rivieres will reopen Sunday, September 9 with a new name, new ownership and a new mission: to give the Quebec horse-racing industry a foundation for a new beginning.
"With the industry now owning the track, we have a home base from which to grow our revenues, ultimately to a level sufficient for people to reinvest in horse ownership and breeding in Quebec," said Tony Infilise, chairman of the non-profit Quebec Jockey Club, which purchased the track earlier this year for $4 million and has since spent about $250,000 in improvements to the racing surface, landscaping, furnishings and equipment.
The inaugural 10-day meet at the track now known as Hippodrome 3R will kick off Sunday afternoon. The track will present two live cards a week, Sunday afternoons and Tuesday nights, through to Oct. 9.
Bus service is available on race days from Montreal and Quebec City. It's $25 per person from Montreal and $20 per person from Quebec City, and includes free admission and program, a 10-per-cent discount at the restaurant, a $10 betting credit and an additional $10 credit to use on the next visit.
To start things in style, the track is hoping to fill two $12,000 Preferreds on opening day, one for trotters and another for pacers. And an additional qualifying session has been scheduled this week for Wednesday at 6 p.m.
(Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)