After the opening of the 2021 season at Hippodrome 3R on Friday, May 7, two Standardbreds — a trotter and a pacer, both undefeated, homebred three-year-olds — are on three-race winning streaks and both have good chances to keep their win streaks alive this Friday (June 4).
The first is the trotting filly XOXO, who starts from post one for breeder, owner and driver Jerome Lombart and trainer Andreane Lapierre.
Lightly raced at age two last year, XOXO made only five starts, but was third or better in all of them and earned $16,520.
Now, at age three, XOXO has earned three wins and one second-place finish in four starts for Lombart. XOXO, sired by Angus Hall from the Mr Lavec mare Promising Lavec, is one of four foals of racing age for Promising Lavec, all of whom have made the races.
Each of the past three weeks, XOXO has gotten faster and faster with her victories. After winning two straight weeks on the front end, Lombart was able to give XOXO a two-hole trip last week and she responded with a lifetime mark of 2:01.3. This week, XOXO is the lone filly going against eight male rivals, and her main competition will come from another three-year-old in Emotions Riches (post three).
This colt by Wheeling N Dealin has but one lifetime win, taken last season in 2:02.1 at 3R, but he still raced well enough to earn $46,825 for the Provoquante Stable and trainer Maxime Velaye. Emotions Riches showed 1:56 speed last season in the Ontario Grassroots Series at Mohawk Park.
The second filly lines up in the seventh race Preferred 3 Pace for fillies and mares as Platine Alpha (post three) will square off against older mares.
Platine Alpha was bred and is owned and trained by Sylvain Tremblay for his Alpha Stable. She is sired by Control The Moment and out of the Big Jim mare, Ma Terre. Platine Alpha is the first foal from Ma Terre and already her half-brother, Titanium Alpha (Hes Watching), made his two-year-old debut and won a qualifying race at 3R last week in 2:03.4.
“Indeed, Platine was born on the Alpha farm,” Tremblay said. “This is the first baby that I have had foal on the farm. That makes her very special to us.
“She has a lot of talent,” Tremblay explained. “She really changed from two- to three-year-old. She grew up a lot and really became a lot more mature in her way of being on the track and her way of racing.”
This year, Platine Alpha already has three wins in five starts, each clocking in around 1:58, her mark so far this year. She has shown the ability to race from on and off the pace.
“She can go much faster than 1:58,” Tremblay added. “She will start against old mares this week. It is a test while waiting for the Breeders Trophy Series at 3R to begin. Then we'll see how fast she can really go.
“In our stable now, she is the best horse,” Tremblay said. “So, I'm not really impressed with her start to the season. She is capable of many faster miles. I go step by step with her. We are preparing for a big season.”
Some of the older mares that Platine Alpha will face on Friday include Fancy Girl (post eight), Kiss Me Bad (post five) and Shemaksmefelunreal (post six).
Post time is 4 p.m. Friday for the 10-race program. Then on Sunday (June 6), 3R will host a race card at 12:30 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.hippodrome3r.ca.
To view Friday's complete entries, click the following link: Friday Entries – Hippodrome 3R.
(Québec Jockey Club)