Light The Torch makes return to Hippodrome 3R

There are 18 four-year-old harness racing pacers that have remained eligible to the $200,000 Prix d’Ete on August 18 at the Hippodrome 3R (H3R), and one of them, the local favorite, Light The Torch (Always B Miki), headlines Sunday’s (June 16) Preferred Pace at H3R.

Trained and co-owned by H3R’s Marc-Andre Simoneau with Jean Fontaine, Light The Torch has been ultra consistent this season, finishing on the board in all ten of his starts with four victories, the fastest a lifetime best 1:53.2 mile two starts back at Rideau Carleton.

Starting from post five in the 9th race feature, Light The Torch will have his regular pilot, Pascal Berube, in the sulky.

“He’s a big horse, no doubt,” trainer Marc-Andre Simoneau said. “62 inches of shackles to prove it. Since his acquisition, we haven’t changed much. The most important, the most necessary care, is his feet. No good feet, no big effort. He had to be made comfortable, the hoof had to be modified among other things to avoid discomfort.

“Above all,” Simoneau added. “We had to make him happy to race, happy with his lot. A horse that is in a good mood and happy is able to make better efforts.”

Simoneau was very pleased to have Light The Torch racing Sunday at H3R.

“I was very happy that he was accepted by the race secretary to race. It will be an opportunity for us to see how he behaves over the half mile. When we acquired him, he raced in Trois-Rivières and did well. (two wins, one 2nd place). But in those days, the miles were covered around 1.57. It’s different now, and I’m expecting a mile a lot faster (Sunday).”

It may or may not be a “walk in the park” for Light The Torch as he faces the current “Queen of H3R” Kiss Me Bad from post three for owner-driver Steven Gagnon. One of two mares in the field, Kiss Me Bad and Gagnon have been razor-sharp, winning the Preferred Pace the last two weeks, the fastest a 1:56.2 mile against male rivals.

There are two new faces in the Preferred with Acapulco Sunburn (post two), a new acquisition of Jocelyn Brassard in Mohawk at a cost of $30,000 with a record of 1.51.1 taken last year and Savoir Duharas (post six), an acquisition of Jean Laroche, also in Mohawk by way of claim.

The amateur driver’s series continues at H3R with two divisions on Sunday’s program. The 5th and 8th races on the schedule. In the 5th, the morning odds favorite Lookin Ata Winner is entrusted to veteran René Quessy in post three. He will have to pay attention to Pey Bug and Louis Desrochers who, for once, will start from the inside.

In the 8th race, Marc Lemay’s Odds On Carmel was named the favorite, and for good reasons. The horse raced in the $750 class recently and didn’t look bad. Marc will undoubtedly want to shine. Yannick Marquis and his Dads Princess are at 3/1, despite the 7th position

First race post time on Sunday is 12:00 noon. The H3R live show begins at 11:15 am (in French). For more information and free race programs, visit here.

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club