2021 stakes season gets underway at H3R

The 2021 harness racing stakes season gets underway at the Hippodrome 3R on Friday with the opening round of the Breeders Trophy Series for three-year-old trotters.

Each division by gender will compete in three legs of preliminary round action followed by the top eight-point earners being eligible for the $65,000 final on Sunday, September 12.

In the eighth race first round for the colts, the Maxime Velaye Stable sends out a powerful entry of Emotions Riches (post 7) and Ciel Bleu (post 5).

Emotions Riches is the stronger of the two stablemates. Last year he won $46,000 for the Provoquante Stable of Mirabel that bred and owns both horses.

This season Emotions Riches, who is sired by Wheeling N Dealin, has two wins, the fastest a record of 2:01.2 taken at H3R two starts back. But in his last start at Rideau Carleton in a Gold division of the Ontario Sire Stakes he was a game third race timed in 1:55.2.

“He raced super at Rideau against top OSS,” said Velaye. “He finished a good 3rd and he dropped five seconds from his previous start. He should race well on Friday. He is really easy to deal with him since Guy (Corbel) bought him last year.”

Emotions Riches will have regular driver Stephane Gendron aboard on Friday.

Ciel Blue only raced twice last year but emerged as a three-year-old in good form. Just last week he won for the first time with a strong 2:01.2 triumph at H3R. He is sired by Muscle Mass.

“For Ciel Bleu,” Velaye explained. “Yes, he did break his maiden very well last start and looked strong at the wire. He has had a lot of bad luck at age 2, even at age 3. In his last two stars prior to his win, he got involved with interference and in an accident.

“For now, Emotions has got the advantage on him,” Velaye added. “And with more experience (he has just 5 lifetimes starts) maybe he can go with him because he has got a lot of desire and he has a good attitude, I think he will develop into a nice horse, just time will tell.”

Another top horse in the field is Hall Win, who starts from post two for Kevin Maguire of Sainte-Marie. The Maguire Stable bred and owns the son of Angus Hall that Kevin trains and drives.

So far in 2021, Hall Win has three wins in five starts with a record of 1:59.3 at H3R.

The fillies do battle in the third race which features X O X O in post four. This filly, also by Angus Hall, is a homebred, trained and driven by Jerome Lombart of Bromont and is trained by Andreane Lapierre.

X O X O already has three wins this year and a new lifetime mark of 2:01.3. She is a half sister to Lucky Promesse, a former top trotting mare at H3R.

Her main rival will be There’s Always Hope (post 1) who in her qualifying race at Rideau Carleton for driver Ryan Guy, was a game second, timed in 2:02.3.

On Sunday, the three-year-old pacing colt and fillies will compete in their opening round of the Breeders Trophy Series.

First race post time Friday is 4:00 pm. For more information or to get a free race program, click here.