Posts drawn for $200,000 Prix d’Ete Sunday

Trois-Rivieres, QC – The post positions were drawn for Sunday's $200,000C sixth revival of the prestigious harness race, the Prix D'Ete Pace, at the Hippodrome 3R.

The Prix d'Ete is only for four-year-old pacers.

Jimmy Freight is the richest career earner of the four-year-olds in the Prix d'Ete with $1,248,386C bankrolled and he drew post six.

The son of Sportswriter, owned by Adriano Sorella of Guelph, ON and trained in Canada by Richard Moreau (Andrew Harris in the USA), has only one win this season, but it was a lifetime mark of 1:48.1 winning a $100,000C Ontario Sire Stakes Gold Cup at Mohawk Park.

He has been racing most of the season against the best older horses in the nation, including Lather Up and McWicked. He has four second place finishes.

While racing against the best Free-For-All pacers in North America this season, This Is The Plan can boast finishing second to the best of them. He drew post four and will be driven by Trois-Rivieres native, Daniel Dube.

In five of his last six starts, the gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere has been second in the Sam McKee, The Gerrity, The William Haughton and the Graduate.

And the prior start before the Graduate, This Is The Plan won the $500,000 Ben Franklin Final, beating McWicked and Western Fame. This has been his lone win this year for trainer Ron Burke, and it was in a lifetime best clocking of 1:48.2 for the career winner of $1,205,410C.

This Is The Plan will race as part of an entry from the Ron Burke Stable with the Well Said gelding, Done Well, a $620,391C career winner.

Done Well starts from post three for driver Bob McClure and has also been racing in the top class this year. Earlier this season he won the 41st annual Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs.

Also starring in the field is the Astronomical stallion, Casimir Richie P, for trainer and co-owner Dr. Ian Moore of Cambridge, ON. Casimir Richie P comes to H3R on a three-race winning streak in the Preferred Pace at Mohawk Park.

The razor-sharp Casimir Richie P has won four of his last five starts driving him will be Quebec's own Sylvain Filion. He will need to be sharp on Sunday, having drawn the far outside post eight.

Another entry, this one from the Chris Oakes Stable, features tough pacers Hitman Hill and Turbo Hill, both of whom are co-owned by Tom Hill of Hamilton, ON.

Hitman Hill makes his debut at H3R shipping in on a two-race win streak and has won three of his last four starts. The American Ideal gelding sports six wins this year, the fastest a lifetime mark of 1:49 at Pocono Downs. He drew post 1 and will be driven by Eric Goodell, who makes his driving debut at H3R.

Stablemate Turbo Hill, also sired by American Ideal, has been racing mainly at Yonkers Raceway's half mile over and has amazing 11 wins for trainer/driver Hunter Oakes, Chris Oakes son. He has been second in three of his last four starts in the 4-year-old Open and has a record this year of 1:49.4. He drew post position 7 for driver Hunter Oaks, who is also making his debut at H3R.

The Downtown Bus has five wins this year for trainer Jeff Gillis, who also co-owns the gelded son of Mach Three. He has been first, second and third in his last three starts at Yonkers and has a record of 1:48 this year, making him the fastest competitor in the field. He drew post five.

Pretty Handsome ships in from Georgian Downs where the Mach Three gelding has eight wins and has been first or second the last six starts in the Preferred Pace. He will be driven by Trevor Richie for trainer Andrew McCabe. Pretty Handsome drew post two.

He has a record this year of 1:51.1 at Georgian Downs and shows he can win from on or off the pace.

$200,000 Prix d'Ete 4YO Pace (post postions listed, not head numbers)

1. Hitman Hill Trainer – Hunter Oakes, Driver – Eric Goodell

2. Pretty Handsome Trainer – Andrew McCabe, Driver – Trevor Ritchie

3. Done Well Trainer – Ron Burke, Driver – Bob McClure

4.This Is The Plan Trainer – Ron Burke, Driver – Daniel Dube

5. The Downtown Bus Trainer – Jeff Gillis, Driver – TBA

6. Jimmy Freight Trainer – Richard Moreau, Driver – Louis Philippe Roy

7. Turbo Hill Trainer – Hunter Oakes, Driver – Hunter Oakes

8. Casimir Richie P Trainer- Dr. Ian Moore, Driver – Sylvain Filion

With a forecast of sunny skies and 80 degrees, the all-age track record of 1:50.3 co-held by past Prix d'Ete winners Sunfire Blue Chip (2014) and All Bets Off (2015), will be in jeopardy with this stellar field.

The Prix d'Ete will be the 11th race on the 12-race program Sunday and estimated post time is 4:25 pm.

Also, on Sunday at H3R will be the third round of the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old pacing colts and fillies. Post time Sunday is 1:00 pm

Track Notes: Friday's ten-race program at H3R features the third leg of the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-old trotters and the second leg of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old trotters. Top performers include Cesar Duharas (race 2) and Kenogami Coco (race 3). First race post time Friday is 7:00 pm. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.

From the Quebec Jockey Club