Trois-Rivieres, QC – It is most certainly crunch time this Sunday with the third and final preliminary round of the Quebec-Bred Series for four and five-year-old pacers at the Hippodrome 3R.
These harness racing horses must perform at their best in order to secure points to be one of the eight finalists in the $30,000 finals on a special night, Thursday, August 9.
The first division is the third race for the horses and the morning line favorite is Dance With Joe from post three.
This five-year-old son of Roll With Joe was razor sharp in his last start, winning the second leg of the series with true grit and stamina. He was challenged early in the mile and would not give up the lead for driver Pascal Berube and went on to win in 1:55.3.
That was his fourth triumph of the year at H3R and now Dance With Joe is tied with Kinnder Jackson, also with four wins, as the two winningest horses at H3R this season.
Dance With Joe starts from post three and has won four of his last five starts for trainer Christine Davignon and owner Daniel Dulude of Ste-Martin.
Last year's three-year-old champion, Wildriverbumblebee, goes from post four and hopefully trainer Francis Richard will have this son of Sportswriter ready for action. He tried to lead from start to finish in his last start in the Invitational pace but spit out the bit at the top of the stretch and finished seventh for driver Stephane Brosseau.
C L Sportaction is another major contender from post six for driver Jonathan Lachance. In his last start in the series he was parked first-over from the start, held his ground for most of the mile and then finished a tired fourth.
The mares are in the spotlight in the eighth race where seven of the eight starters have all won at least one race in their last three starts.
The big question will be how HP Sissy (post five) will do for driver Stephane Brosseau. This top mare by Up The Credit won $141,000 last year with nine triumphs, including the Breeders Cup final at H3R and in the top classes at Yonkers Raceway.
HP Sissy was a big winner before coming to Quebec. She had won at Pocono Downs in 1:53.1.
Bred and co-owned by Claude Hamel with Michel Damphousse, she is now in the capable hands of trainer Jean Tourigny who is a bit distressed with his mare, who finished third in a photo in her last start in the series.
"I am worried about her," Tourigny explained. "Because her breathing is not good and she is way over stressed. "I do not know how she will behave on Sunday. If she is less stressful and breathing a lot better we will find out. We need to race Sunday and make sure she is eligible to the final.
"I am at a loss of how to get her better for the future," Tourigny added.
Another top mare who also needs a big performance on Sunday is Queen Elsa, the two-year-old champion at H3R. She starts from post two for driver Stephane Gendron, but in her last start she was on the outside and could not gain ground, finishing fifth.
There are three return winners in the race, Skyfall Sena (post three), Art De Gagnee (post four) and Wild River Swan (post one), who all won their last start.
Skyfall Sena was a 1:57.4 victor by a nose against Imagine Speed (post eight) in the series. Art De Gagnee won just last week with a lifetime mark of 1:56.2 for driver Pierre Luc Roy while Wild River Swan (post one), who is the full younger sister to Wildriverbumblebee, is coming of a 1:58.2 triumph on the Quebec Fair Circuit.
First race post time is 12:50 pm. You can get a free race program by visiting, www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
Next Tuesday, first race post time at the Hippodrome 3R will be pushed ahead to 7:15 pm due to a motorcycle event taking place.
From the Quebec Jockey Club