A total of 30 four-year-old pacers have been nominated to the $200,000 Prix d’Ete at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday, August 23.
The Prix d’Ete, once the premier pacing event in all of Canada, will feature the top eight seasonal money winning entrants in the final and for the first time the race will also feature a $50,000 consolation race on the same day for entrants that do not make it in the final.
Of the 30 horses nominated, five horses are in the top nine money winning three-year-olds in North America during 2019.
Included in that list is 2019 O'Brien Award winner Century Farroh. Last season the poster boy for the Ontario Sires Stakes won 12 of 16 races, including five in the provincial program and bankrolled almost $720,000 in earnings. The son of the late Mach Three kicked off his 2019 season with a four-race win streak, including the Somebeachsomewhere and an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Division. He took his lifetime mark of 1:49.1 in the North America Cup Consolation and initiated another four-race win streak which included another OSS Gold division. One of his more impressive victories came in the Simcoe Stakes where he tackled Grand Circuit competition with a 1:49.3 victory.
The top money earner in the group is Crawford Farms' American Mercury. The son of American Ideal has won $708,000 and his major victory last season was in the $500,000 Messenger Stake where he defeated the 2019 U.S. Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year, Bettors Wish.
Also nominated is $660,000 winner Dancin Lou. This exceptional son of Sweet Lou captured last year’s $600,000 Breeders Crown, also defeating Bettors Wish in the final.
Other standout horses nominated include $682,000 Meadowlands Pace winner, Best In Show. The son of Bettors Delight from the world champion mare Put On A Show holds the fastest mark in the field at 1:48.
Another $500,000 winner from last season is Hickfromfrenchlick. This son of So Surreal was the New York Sire Stakes Champion in 2019, winning 11 of his 15 starts in 2019 and is named after basketball star Larry Bird of French Link, Indiana. Rounding out the top money winners are Proof, who has earned $476,000 for Adam Bowden’s Diamond Creek Racing and $404,000 winner, Blood Money, for trainer Nancy Takter.
Quebec-owned and trained nominees include Captain Malicious and Legion Seelster.
Owners and trainers of a horse nominated to the Prix d’Ete must remember that they must also make the April 15 second payment of $1,000 in order to remain eligible to the race.
Below is the list of the 30 horses that were nominated to the Prix d’Ete.
AIR FORCE HANOVER
AMERICAN MERCURY
ANGERS BAYAMA
BEST IN SHOW
BLLACK HOLE
BLOOD MONEY
BRANQUINHO
BRONX SEELSTER
CAPTAIN MALICIOUS
CAPTAIN TREVOR
CAPTAIN VICTORIOUS
CAVIART ROCKLAND
CAVIART STETSON
CENTURY FARROH
COVERED BRIDGE
DANCIN LOU
FLAMEPROOF HANOVER
HICKFROMFRENCHLICK
HIGHLANDBEACHLOVER
LEGION SEELSTER
MILITARY SECRET
OLLIES ZTAM
PROOF
RESPECT OUR FLAG
ROCKIE GOT FRAMED
ROLLWITHPAPAJOE
SEMI TOUGH
TYGA HANOVER
U S CAPTAIN
WILD WILD WESTERN
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)