Two world class harness racing drivers, Louis-Philippe Roy and Daniel Dube are returning to their home province of Quebec for Super Sunday, September 8, to compete in the $500,000 Quebec Championship Finals at the Hippodrome 3R.
The 12-race card that begins at 12:00 noon features eight championship finals. Four of the finals of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-olds with each division for trotters and pacers going for a purse of $65,000. Plus, four finals of the Future Stars Series for two-year-olds trotters and pacers, each racing for a purse of $55,000.
It is the richest day of horse racing in all of Quebec. First race post time Sunday is 12:00 noon.
There are also four $6,500 Invitational races, one for three-year-old Quebec-Bred pacers, one for the trotters, one for the pacing mares and one for the pacing horses.
Louis-Philippe Roy, a three-time OāBrien award winner, has drives in 10 of the 12 races, 7 of those races, all finals, he will be driving horses that he has bred and owns. They are Ronda Du Lac (post 6) race 7 and Olaf Du Lac (post 5) in the 10thĀ race.
What does Roy look forward to most in returning to Quebec for the finals?
āSeeing people happy after all the work they put into their horses and enjoying success in the finals,ā Roy said. āA lot of people in Quebec are owners and breeders, and sometimes even trainers as well of their horses, so itās what theyāve been aiming for for years!ā
Daniel Dube, born and raised in Trois-Rivieres, has been a leading driver wherever he has competed and is closing in on his 10,000thĀ career win. He has more than $137 million in purse earnings. Dube has drives in 7 of the 12 races, 4 of them in the finals.
Dube was also the driver of the fastest mile ever at H3R, 1:49.1, set by This Is The Plan in winning the 2019 $200,000 Prix dāEte.
Also, returning home to Quebec from the USA for Super Sunday is driver Simon Allard, who has four drives on the program, all for his father, trainer, owner and breeder Michel Allard.
Standouts in the finals include the only horse Sunday who has a chance to sweep all three preliminary legs and the final in Boomboom Tonight (post 2) in the 10thĀ race three-year-old colt pace final. He has won four of his last five starts for driver Pascal Berube and owner, trainer, breeder Elisabeth Pothier.
The Super Sunday weekend kicks off on Friday, Sept. 6 with a 10-race card starting at 4:00 pm. Featured is Hes Stalking You from post six in the 6thĀ race co-feature for driver Sylvain Lacaille.
Although winless in his last nine starts, Hes Stalking You was a game second timed in 1:57.2 in his last start.
The 10thĀ race co-feature spots Proberts Legacy, post 5, for driver Pascal Berube. He just won his last start at Rideau Carleton with a neck triumph in 1:53.2.
Post time Friday is 4:00 pm and the Super Sunday card starts at 12:00 noon. For more information and free race programs, visit here.
by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club