A former leading trainer at 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 (pictured above), a four-time Quebec-Bred Champion. He will start from post nine in the sixth 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 favourite. 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,” said Velaye. “He is incredible this horse, year after year. He is now nine 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. Capteur De Reve could become the first horse in 3R history to have won the series championship five times. He has won the championship at ages two, three, six and seven.
Other contenders in the field against Capteur De Reve are MPV L (post seven), Miles Of Muscle (post five) and Keepall (post two).
"We probably have fewer horses than usual," said Velaye, "but the focus is more on quality than quantity. Last year, for example, we only had two three-year-old pacers, which did not prevent us from winning the final of the Trophée des Breeders (with Aladdin). In 2023, we also have two three-year-old pacers, one you will see on Sunday named Fantome En Joie. He's 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,” added Velaye. “Let's say I consider him a good prospect. At the trot, it is Capteur De Rire that will defend our colours. 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 third race pace with Brosseau in the sulky. Owned and bred by Guy Corbeil of Mirabel, Que., Fantome En Joie just qualified at Rideau Carleton in 1:59.1, with a last quarter in :28.1. His main rivals will be return winner Sage Duharas (post five), River Sena (post two) and Noble Ed (post eight).
The seventh race Preferred Pace lines up early standout Siddhartha in post eight for driver Stephane Brosseau. Last week, Siddhartha was able to beat this field, going 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, Que.
His rivals include the entry of Bs Tyrrific (post three) and Perpetual Rock (post five) from the Gina Bragagnolo Stable along with Avid (post two).
First race post time on Sunday is 12 noon. For a free race program, visit hippodrome3r.ca. For entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.
(Quebec Jockey Club)