Hippodrome 3R stakes season starts Sunday

The Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec kicks off its 2023 stakes season on Sunday, June 11, with the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series for four-year-old and up pacers.

There are three divisions of the first leg of the series. Two are for pacing mares and one for the horses. There are three preliminary rounds with the top eight point earners returning for their respective $30,000 finals on Sunday, July 9.

All eyes will be focused on the 9^th race, which is the lone division of the Quebec-Bred Series for older horses, as The Light Speed (Moon Beam) makes his return to the Hippodrome 3R.

Shipping to H3R from Rideau Carleton Raceway, The Light Speed is on a three-race winning streak in the Preferred Pace and has won six of his nine starts this year for the Guy Gagnon Stable. Two of his last three starts were won in 1:51.1, tying his lifetime mark.

The Light Speed will start from post seven for driver Jimmy Gagnon and is the 6/5 wagering favorite in the race.

Other contenders include D Gs De Vito from post four for driver Jonathan Lachance. He was second last week in the Preferred Pace at H3R and two starts back won in 1:56.4. Shanghaigold (post 1) was second by a neck in his last start and he will have Marie-Claude Auger driving.

The mares get underway in the 5^th race featuring recent 2:00 winner Clear The Credit (post 3) for driver William Roy taking on the game Platine Alpha (post 5) with driver Jimmy Gagnon.

Platine Alpha had been battling against the top aged horses at H3R this season and Sunday races just against mares.

The 7^th race second division spotlights Celia Bayama (post 4) returning to H3R from Ontario taking on Fancy Girl (post 1) and Kiss Me Bad (post 3).

First race post time Sunday is 12:00 noon. For a free race program, click here.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club