A record 32 four-year-old pacers have been nominated to the $200,000 fourth renewal of the Prix D’Ete at the Hippodrome 3R.
Headlining the list is Check Six, who last year won an impressive $1,070,789 for the Ron Burke Stable. Burke and company will be seeking their third straight Prix D’Ete victory in 2017.
The Prix D’Ete was one of the most prestigious races in all of Canada from 1966 through 1992. World champions Bret Hanover, Albatross, Niatross, Hot Hitter, Cam Fella, On The Road Again, Ralph Hanover, Matts Scooter and a host of other top pacers have won the Prix D’Ete.
In the past three editions of the Prix D'Ete at 3R, the all-age track record was set and then tied as both Sunfire Blue Chip (2014) and All Bets Off (2015) both won in 1:50.3. Then, last year, U.S. Harness Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit, came to 3R for the Prix D’Ete and after a dramatic neck and neck battle the final half mile of the race, was second in an upset by Rockin Ron (1:52) over a ‘sloppy’ track.
"We are very pleased with the quality of the horses that have nominated to this year's Prix D'Ete," said Claude Levesque, president of the Quebec Jockey Club. "The revival of this Grand Circuit event has developed into the great race it was before.”
The Ron Burke Stable hopes to have a three-peat with Check Six in the Prix D’Ete, having won the race last year with Rockin Ron and the year before with All Bets Off.
Check Six, a son of Somebeachsomewhere, scored 11 wins in 24 starts last year with a record of 1:50 and victories in the $561,000 Pennsylvania Classic, the $252,000 PASS Final, $200,000 Monument Circle, a division of the Bluegrass Stakes and was second in the Adios Pace and third in the Meadowlands Pace and the Breeders Crown.
Other contenders include Western Fame, a $449,774 winner by Western Ideal for trainer Jimmy Takter, who won the 2014 Prix D’Ete with Sunfire Bluechip. Western Fame was a divisional winner of the Bluegrass Stake last season and was second in the Little Brown Jug final.
Easy Lover Hanover ($359,772), was a 15-time winner last year for trainer Ben Wallace with his biggest win in the $314,000 Progress Pace, Lyons Snyder ($330,396) was a 1:49 victor in 2016 and Roll Away Joe (321,681), won the $250,000 NYSS Final and four NYSS events last year, are all major contenders for the race.
Quebec-owned nominees include Quebec-bred champions HP Patriote and Sports Authority, Endeavor and Stonebridge Beach.
"I want to invite everyone to come to Trois-Rivieres the week of August 16 and August 20,” Levesque added, “as we are hosting a division of the World Driving Championship and then our Prix D'Ete. We want everyone to come out and enjoy our great racing and Quebecoise hospitality."
Last year just 24 nominated to the Prix D’Ete. The prior record was 28 nominees in both 2014 and 2015.
The Hippodrome 3R is also gearing up for its 2017 opening day on Sunday, April 23. For more information, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.
2017 Prix D’Ete Nominees (after March 15, 2017 payment)
AMERICAN PASSPORT
ANOTHER DAILY COPY
ARSENIC
ARTMAGIC
AWESOMENESS
BIG TOP HANOVER
CHECK SIX
DAY TRADE HANOVER
DR J HANOVER
EASY LOVER HANOVER
ENDEAVOR
GERRIES SPORT
HP PATRIOTE
LYONS SYNDER
MAGNUM J
MISSILE J
MR WIGGLE PANTS
NOCTURNAL BLUECHIP
PRETTY BOY HILL
ROLL AWAY JOE
ROLLAROUNDTHEWORLD
SECRECY
SEELEY MAN
SINTRA
SPIDER MAN HANOVER
SPORTS AUTHORITY
STOLEN GLIMPSE
STONEBRIDGE BEACH
TALK SHOW
TODDLER TANTRUM
VORACITY
WESTERN FAME
(QJC)