This Long-Awaited Day of Finals

This Sunday, September 14, will see the running of the eight Québec-bred finals, rightly considered by many as the most important day of the season at the Trois-Rivières track. Eight finals: four for the 2-year-olds in the Coupe de l’Avenir, and four for the 3-year-olds in the Trophée des Éleveurs. For the 2-year-olds, that means four purses of $55,000 each; for the 3-year-olds, four purses of $65,000 each. Quite clearly, these are the richest races of the season.

For the occasion, several Québec drivers who normally shine elsewhere—Louis-Philippe Roy, Daniel Dubé, Samuel Fillion, and Guy Gagnon—will be on hand, facing off against our best local reinsmen such as Pascal Bérubé, Marie-Claude Auger, Denis St-Pierre, and Stéphane Brosseau. Fiercely contested races, plenty of emotion and suspense, and unforgettable moments await.

The Coupe de l’Avenir
If we rely on the morning line by race secretaries Guillaume Richard and Cynthia Thériault, two standout competitors at this level deserve special mention: the pacing colt Bernard, unbeaten in five starts for trainer Guy Roy, and the pacing filly Cattlekiss, a perfect three-for-three in her eliminations with trainer-driver Guy Gagnon. Add to that the trotting final, run as a non-wagering event, featuring another Gagnon trainee, Magic Liam, and it becomes clear that this horseman is poised for a big day. Two finals out of four could well go his way.

That said, history shows that since these finals began in 2013, surprises have been a yearly hallmark. So yes, these three horses look invincible, but yes, they are living, breathing athletes, and there is no 100% guarantee they will be at their very best on Sunday.

The trotting fillies division could easily produce an upset, so evenly matched does it appear. The filly Abby Rose Men, another from the Gagnon stable, has been made the favorite over Silver Pride, representing Écuries Silver (Michel Gaboury). Each has won two of three eliminations. Each has been defeated once—Abby Rose Men by Tout En Muscle, and Silver Pride by Breeze Canneberge. Breeze Canneberge is sidelined by injury, but Tout En Muscle will start as part of an entry with Double Vie for trainer Maxime Velaye. Expect a battle to the finish.

The Trophée des Éleveurs
Among the 3-year-olds, two names stand out despite their “regular” morning-line odds. In the trotters’ division, Mass Speed from the Michel Allard stable has won three of four eliminations with relative ease. The only rival to beat him, HP Lucas from the Daniel Martin barn, will start right next to him in the seventh race. Also in the mix is Cleveland Z Flash from Christine Beaulieu’s stable, runner-up three times in eliminations. Most of these trotters cover their mile in 1:59 to 2:01, so nothing is set in stone.

The 8th race, for pacing fillies, seems at first glance to belong to Silver Majesty, undefeated in four eliminations and each time by a clear margin. Her narrowest victory was by half a length, her widest by four—and that four-length romp came in her most recent start. To challenge her, the morning line favors Justine Ray from Francis Guillemette’s stable and Mirabel Enfete from the Velaye barn, the defending champion. Could one of them play spoiler? We shall see, although Silver Majesty’s camp must be brimming with confidence.

And what about the return of The Magic Moment from the Guillemette barn, entrusted to Louis-Philippe Roy? This is the same colt who captured last year’s final as a 2-year-old. He has been assigned a special 7/5 morning line, courtesy of two elimination wins and, no doubt, his 1:51.4 victory in the Prospect at Mohawk. Adjusting that time to our track (usually adding about four seconds), it translates to 1:55—a mile none of his rivals in this ninth race have matched locally. Could someone spring an upset?

The Variables
Still, there are variables to consider on Sunday. First, post positions can have a big impact. Six of the seven morning-line favorites drew inside posts; Cattlekiss is the lone exception, starting from post 7. Second, new drivers will be aboard several horses, with “outside” reinsmen coming in at the invitation of organizers. Among them: Daniel Dubé, with over 9,000 career wins, driving for Maxime Velaye; Louis-Philippe Roy, handling Francis Guillemette’s The Magic Moment plus two Du Lac horses; and Samuel Fillion, in the bike behind Justine Ray for Guillemette. All three are drivers who can change the course of a race at any time. Third, the weather—always an unpredictable last-minute factor—could play a role on Sunday.

In Conclusion
There’s no doubt these eight finals will bring tense moments for the 37 trainers who have at least one horse entered. There’s no doubt as well that bettors will find plenty of suspense, because nothing is ever guaranteed. The only sure winner: the spectacle itself. In addition to the seven wagering finals, there will be three invitationals—two pacing and one trotting—two worth $8,000, and one for $6,500. On the negative side, once again this year, coupled entries deprive the track of thousands of dollars. The CJQ and ATAQ have lobbied jointly to abolish this outdated rule, which we alone still retain. The matter rests with the RACJ, which has been slow to act, to say the least.

So it’s an exceptional rendezvous for all Québec racing fans this Sunday, September 14. First post is at noon, with special presentations starting at 11:40 a.m., right after the broadcast of C’EST OFFICIEL. Guy Lafontaine will be at the helm for both race calling and hosting duties.