Frido PV: “A good horse is always a good horse”

That’s what harness racing trainer Yves St Jacques has to say about his trotter, Frido PV (Muscle Mass), “A good horse is always a good horse.”

And despite missing nearly an entire year of racing due to surgery, Frido PV is on a roll as he headlines one of two divisions of the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters at the Hippodrome 3R on Friday (June 23). The twilight race card gets underway at 4:00 pm.

Now age 6, Frido PV has been with Yves St Jacques since it was foaled, being bred and owned by Marcel Brouillard of St-Marcel-De-Richelieu in Quebec.

So far this season, Frido PV has been nearly unbeatable with four wins in five starts. His only loss was by a nose to the top mare Stella Alpha.

On Friday Frido PV starts from post four for driver Jonathan Lachance. The duo is on a two-race win streak.

But what happened to Frido PV last season when he started only eight times with no wins?

“It was because he was sick last year,” St Jacques explained. “And he had to be operated on at the veterinary médecine of St Hyacinthe for colic. I had to completely stop training him for six month and then bring him back slowly.

“I started training him back in December of 2022,” St Jacques said. “He was good before the operation. Back in August, September and October of 2021, he was racing at Mohawk and was third twice, timed in 1:53.

“I did not have any doubts he would come back strong,” St Jacques said. “That’s why I can say a good horse is always a good horse.”

Last week Frido PV and Lachance came first-over against former Quebec Champion Seeyou Men and were able to grind out a 1:58.2 triumph in the opening round of the Quebec-Bred Series.

There are three preliminary legs of the series followed by a $30,000 final.

Also in the 8^th race second division on Friday is four-time Quebec Champion Capteur de Reve from post two for driver Stephane Brosseau. He has won his first two starts for trainer Maxime Velaye and was a disappointing fifth last week in the series.

The 4^th race is the first Quebec-Bred Series division and features return winner Orlys Pride (Archangel) from post five for driver Jocelyn Gendron. Last week the seven-year-old gelding stormed to the lead at odds of 18-1 and never looked back, winning in 1:59.2.

Trained by Paulo Jutras for the Orlando Stable Inc. of Lasalle, Quebec, Orlys Pride will not have it as easy as last week as he faces Seeyou Men (post 3), Stella Alpha (post 2) and Only For Justice (Post 6), who despite having broken equipment last week, was still a game second to Orlys Pride.

The Hippodrome 3R has nine races scheduled for Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm. For a free race program, visit here.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club