With purse money on the line, rookie pacer Whitecookie has never tasted defeat. He'll look to keep that perfect record intact as the overwhelming favourite to win his $55,000 division of the Future Stars Series Championship Final at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (Sept. 8).
There are eight championship finals Sunday, four for three-year-olds (Breeders Cup Series), each with a purse of $65,000 and four Future Stars Series finals for two-year-old. Total purses on the day are over $500,000 and it is the richest day of harness racing in all of Quebec.
Whitecookie is a two-year-old colt by Windfall Blue Chip from the Team Hanover mare, Teamtress. He has the pedigree to be the winner he is.
Teamtress has had 12 foals, Whitecookie is number 11 and there is a yearling. But from the 11 foals of racing age, nine of them have race records of under 1:59.1, including Whitecookie’s million dollar-winning half-sister, Pancleefandarpels, who won $1,057,244 with a record of p,7,1:50.1. Another half-sister, Seamstresforthepan, won $431,957 with a record of p,5,1:52.4.
In his last start, the third leg of the series, Whitecookie was at his best for owner, trainer and driver Marie Claude Auger of Trois-Rivieres. Leading from start to finish, Whitecookie stopped the teletimer in a lifetime best 1:57 clocking -- just three-fifths of a second from the track record.
In actuality, Whitecookie did lose one race. It was his first qualifying attempt at Hippodrome 3R. He was second by three-quarters of a length in 2:03.2. From that point on he has never lost a race. In his last five wins he had led from start to finish. In his first pari-mutuel purse start at Rideau Carleton, Whitecookie came from off the pace to win by a nose in 1:58.2.
For this Sunday, Whitecookie and Auger will start from post four in the tenth race championship final. He has beaten everyone in the field except for My Bettors Del (post 3). This son of Bettors Delight has two wins, both in the series at 3R, the fastest a 1:59.1 clocking. He has been raced timed in 1:54 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Other possible contenders are Kinnder Big Boss (post eight) and the entry of Eclat De Rire (post two) and Retour Au Jeu (post five) for trainer Maxime Velaye and owner/breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel.
As for Whitecookie, the possibility of having an undefeated season lay in his hands. And from what Marie Claude Auger has achieved with him this season, the outlook for wiring the field again tomorrow seems like a pretty good bet.
The 14-race program kicks off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. For a free race program and to watch the races from Hippodrome 3R live, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the entries for Sunday's card of harness racing at 3R, click one of the following links: Sunday Entries || Sunday Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)