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Former leading harness racing trainer at the Hippodrome 3R, Maxime Velaye, returns to action this Sunday (May 28) with two starters on the 11-race card, one a veteran trotter, the other a maiden pacer.
The veteran trotter is none other than Capteur de Reve (Muscle Mass), a four-time Quebec-Bred Champion. He will start from post nine in the 6th race trot for driver Stephane Brosseau.
Having not raced since December of 2022 has not deterred the morning line maker from selecting Capteur de Reve as the race favorite. Last season he won six times for owner-breeder Provoquante Stable of Mirabel, Quebec with a record of 1:55.2. He now has just over $345,000 in career earnings.
“Capteur De Reve should be good on Sunday,” Velaye said. “He is incredible this horse, year after year. He is now 9 years old and his earnings are approaching $350,000. Because he had a quiet end to the season in 2022, he has his place in Sunday’s program.”
This season, for the first time in three years, the Quebec Jockey Club has returned with the Quebec-Bred Series for older trotters and pacers in June and Capteur De Reve could become the first horse in history at H3R to have won the series championship five-times. He has won the championship at ages 2, 3, 6 and 7.
Other contenders in the field against Capteur De Reve are MPV L (post 7), Miles Of Muscle (post 5) and Keepall (post 2).
“We probably have fewer horses than usual,” says Velaye, “but the focus is more on quality than quantity. Last year, for example, we only had two 3-year-old amblers, which did not prevent us from winning the final of the Trophée des Breeders (Aladdin). In 2023, we also have two 3-year-old pacers, one you will see on Sunday, named Fantome En Joie. It is Aladdin’s own full brother, so a Shadow Play by Eloge. Despite all this, he is a very different horse from his big brother. He’s had health problems, ups and downs, and I’m really unable to say what kind of horse he’ll become.
“The other one called Attidude is Lit De Rose’s half-brother,” Velaye added. “Let’s say I consider him a good prospect. At the trot, it is Capteur De Rire that will defend our colors. He is still very green with only two departures for life, but it is also a son of Nobeless, who gave us his big brother Capteur De Reve.”
Fantome En Joie will start from post six in the 3rd race pace with Brosseau in the sulky. Owned and bred by Guy Corbeil of Mirable, QC, Fantome En Joie just qualified at Rideau Carleton in 1:59.1, the last quarter in :28.1. His main rivals will be return winner Sage Duharas (post 5), River Sena (post 3) and Noble Ed (post 8).
The 7th race Preferred Pace once again sees early standout Siddhartha (So Surreal) going from post eight for driver Stephen Brosseau. Last week Siddhartha was able to beat this field, coming first-over and grinding out a very impressive victory in 1:56.3. He has now won two of his last three starts with a second-place finish in between for trainer and owner Louis Philippe Turcotte of Trois-Rivieres.
His rivals include the entry of BS Tyrrific (post 3) and Perpetual Rock (post 5) from the Gina Bragagnolo Stable along with Avid (post 2).
First race post time on Sunday is 12:00 noon. For a free race program, visit here.
For complete race entries, click here.
by Steve Wolf, for the Quebec Jockey Club
