Quebec’s Prix d’Ete and its interesting history

Coming up on Sunday, August 18, the Quebec Jockey Club will present its richest and most prestigious race of the year at the Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec with the return of the C$200,000 Prix d’Ete.

Prix d’Ete means Summer or Classic Prize and the classic event now features only four-year-old harness racing pacers but back in the day it was the most prestigious race in all of Canada for three-year-olds.

This race was held for the first time in 1966 under the name of Prix d’Automne (Autumn Classic) at the now defunct Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal. The race was open to pacers aged four and older. A $50,000 purse made it the richest harness race at that time in Canadian history.

That first edition in 1966 was won by none other than Brett Hanover and trainer-driver Frank Ervin in 1:59.

Within a year, the race was renamed the L’Amble du Centenaire (Centennial Pace) in honor of Canada’s 100^th anniversary and was made open to pacers age three and older.

In 1968 it became the Prix d’Été and in 1971 was modified to a stake race for three-year-old pacers.

Over the years many of the sport’s greatest three-year-olds won the Prix d’Ete including Precious Fella (1976) with driver Gary Cameron in 1:56.4, Niatross (1980) and trainer-driver Clint Galbraith in 1:53.4, Cam Fella (1982) with trainer-driver Pat Crowe in 1:55.1 and Matt’s Scooter (1988) for driver Michel Lachance in 1:54.3 just to name a few. An entire list of previous Prix d’Ete winners is below.

The last time the Prix d’Ete was held at H3R was in 2019. Then Covid and its lingering effects caused the race to be cancelled until 2024.

The richest ever Prix d’Ete was $663,500 back in 1991 and was won by Beach Towel (Ray Remmen) in 1:53.1.

The world’s greatest harness racing drivers and trainers have raced in the Prix d’Ete over its many years. Three drivers have won the race twice in its history. They are Keith Waples (1972, 1975), Michel Lachance (1988, 1989) and Yannick Gingras (2014, 2016).

Two trainers have each won the Prix d’Ete three times. They are Billy Haughton (1967, 1970 and 1974) and Ron Burke (2015, 2016, 2019).

The stakes record for the event was in 2019 when This Is The Plan and driver Daniel Dube won in a blazing 1:49.1. That was the first time any race in H3R’s history went under 1:50. At the time it was not only the stakes and all-age track record at H3R, but the fastest half mile race in Canadian history.

The entry box for the Prix d’Ete closes on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 11:00 am. We will then see who will be eligible to wear the Prix d’Ete crown in 2024.

Previous winners Prix d’Ete

2000 – 2023    Race not held

2019 – This Is The Plan (Daniel Dube-R.Burke)  1:49.1  $200,000

2018 – Beckhams Z Tam (Ricky Macomber-Jamie Macomber) 1:52.1 $200,000

2017 – Western Fame (Trevor Henry-Jimmy Takter) 1:53.2  $200,000

2016 –  Rockin Ron (Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke)  1:52   $200,000

2015 – All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke) 1:50.3     $200,000

2014 – Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras-Jimmy Takter 1:50.3  $200,000

1993 – 2013    Race not held

1992 – Direct Flight (John Campbell-Kelvin Harrison)  1:52.1  $307,400

1991 – Die Laughing (Richard Silverman-Jerry Silverman)  1:51.2  $603,500

1990 – Beach Towel (Ray Remmen-Larry Remmen)  1:53.1   $663,500

1989 – Goalie Jeff (Michel Lachance-Tom Artandi)  1 :52.1 $632,500

1988 – Matt’s Scooter (Michel Lachance-Harry Poulton) 1:54.3  $582,200

1987 – Frugal Gourmet (Trevor Ritchie-Blair Burgess)  1:53.3  $548,000

1986 – Armbro Emerson (Walter Whelan-Brian Burton)  1:56  $527,500

1985 – Falcon Seelster (Tom Harner-T. Harner)  1:53.2  $358,000

1984 – Butler BG (Ted Wing-Camilla Standfield)  1:53.4  $411,500

1983 – Ralph Hanover (Ron Waples-Stewart Firlotte) 1:54  $411,500

1982 – Cam Fella (Pat Crowe-P. Crowe) 1:55.1  $377,000

1981 – Seahawk Hanover (Ben Webster-Skip Lewis) 1:55.3  $226,1000

1980 – Niatross (Clint Galbraith-C. Galbraith)  1:53.4  $161,650

1979 – Hot Hitter (Herve Filion-Lou Meittinis)  1:54  $181,150

1978 – Abercrombie (Glen Garnsey-G. Garnsey)  1:55.4  $150,750

1977 – Governor Skipper (John Chapman-Bucky Norris) 1:54.3  $154,750

1976 – Precious Fella (Gary Cameron-Del Cameron)  1:56.4  $162,700

1975 – Albert’s Star (Keith Waples-K. Waples) 1:58  $140,000

1974 – Armbro Omaha (Peter Haughton-Bill Haughton) 1:57.4  $150,000

1973 – Armbro Nadir (Nelson White-N. White) 1:56.1  $130,000

1972 – Strike Out (Keith Waples-John Hayes)  1:58.2  $100,000

1971 – Albatross (Stanley Dancer-S.Dancer) 1:57.2  $75,000

1970 – Laverne Hanover (George Sholty-Bill Haughton)  1:57.2  $75,000

1969 –   Race not held

1968 – True Duane (Chris Boring-Leon Boring)  1:58  $50,000

1967 – Romulus Hanover (Bill Haughton-B.Haughton) 1:57.1  $50,000

1966 – Bret Hanover (Frank Ervin-F.Ervin)  1:59  $50,000

Bold – Stakes and All-Age Track Record at H3R

by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club