Final curtain call for 2021 season at H3R

The 2021 harness racing season at the Hippodrome 3R will come to a close on Sunday, Nov. 14, with the final live racing card. The season was extended to 41 days in 2021 with total handle significantly increased over the last two seasons.

Unlike the past few seasons where the leading driver and training titles have come down to the final day of racing, both titles are already “in the bag” for 2021.

Defending driving champion, Pascal Berube, has wrapped up his second straight driver title with 60 wins going into the final day of racing. His nearest competitor, Stephane Brosseau, at 55 wins is not competing on Sunday, so without even driving, Berube wins the title again.

A good part of Berube’s victories this season have come aboard horses trained by Sylvain Tremblay, who has clinched his first training title ever at H3R with 28 wins going into the final card of the day. He holds a nine-win lead over four-time defending champion Francis Richard.

As for the bragging rights as the winningest horse at H3R this season, there are a number of scenarios that could take place on Sunday.

With seven wins each at H3R this season, D Gs De Vito (race 5) and Platine Alpha (race 6) each would need to win to take the title outright. X O X O also has seven wins, but is not racing Sunday. Then there is Histoire Enchantee (race 5) and Maracasso (race 8), each with six wins and either one could tie the others with a victory. Actually, there could end up being a five-horse tie for the title.

On the racetrack Sunday are two Preferred paces, one for the horses and one for the mares.

The horses do battle in the fifth race where last week’s winner, Farmers Tan starts from post three for owner-trainer-driver Carol Voyer. Farmers Tan is on a two-race win streak, last week winning this class, going wire-to-wire in 1:56.

Both Histoire Enchantee (post 5) for driver Simon Delisle and D Gs De Vito (post 1) for driver Jonathan Lachance have been sharp all season and the race sees the return of Mickeymaksomespeed (post 4) after racing in the USA since early September. He will be driven by Steeven Genois.

The Mares Preferred Pace features Kiss Me Bad for owner-trainer-driver Steven Gagnon from post seven. The five-year-old mare by Badlands Hanover is coming off a gusty, first-over mile where she tore away from the field in the stretch at H3R to win in 1:56.4.

Starting on the rail is one of the winningest horses at H3R this season, Platine Alpha. This three-year-old filly by Control The Moment has been sensational for breeder-owner-trainer Sylvain Tremblay with eight wins, seven at H3R.

Platine Alpha takes on the older mares coming off a lifetime best 1:55 mile last week at Rideau Carleton, where she scored an upset victory at odds of 29-1 and paid $44.30 to win. Also in the field are Wild River Swan (post 3), Fancy Girl (post 5) and Jans Legacy.

Post time for the final race card of the season is 12:10 pm Sunday. For a free race program, click here.

By Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club