National Caretaker Appreciation Day at H3R Sunday

This Sunday, September 15, will be National Caretaker Appreciation Day at the Hippodrome 3R (H3R) in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

Now in its seventh year of promotion by Standardbred Canada, racetracks throughout Canada designate a day during August 30 to September 16, to highlight the work of these too often forgotten unsung heroes of our harness racing industry.

For this occasion, both H3R and the Association Trot et Amble du Quebec (ATAQ), the association representing the horsepeople of Quebec, contribute to highlighting these women and men who are so essential to every stable, training center and farm.

The caretakers are the backbone of the industry. They are closest to the horses every day. They accompany them for hours on race day. They are there to harness, wash, walk and watch over their horses during the many hours on race days. They often know their horses well, its habits, its quirks, its impatience or its quietude.

We see them in the winner’s circle after a victorious race, but we don’t see them when, after a race, they bring the horse back to the paddock, unharness it, wash it, dry it, walk it, and often put the bandages back on for the return trip. Win or lose, every horse is entitled to the same treatment.

Sunday’s 10-race program is dedicated to the caretakers with food in the race paddock, prizes for the caretaker of every winning horse and special recognition for every caretaker from track announcer Guy Lafontaine.

On the racetrack Sunday is a $7,000 Quebec-Bred non-winners of $30,000 for three-year-old pacers. The morning line favorite is HP Game On (McWicked) from post four for driver Antoine Derouchers. Last week HP Game On was at his best, winning for the third time this season with a lifetime mark of 1:58.1.

Post time Sunday is 12:00 noon. For a free race program, visit here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club