from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — Harness racing trainer/driver Carl Duguay is looking for a big racing day at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (June 26) as he has two horses competing in the C$120,000 finals of the Quebec-Bred Series.

Each of the four finals for 4- and 5-year-olds pacers and trotters race for a purse of C$30,000 and Duguay and his family-owned Chaleurs Breeding Farm have the morning line race favorite in one division and the fourth choice in another division.

Carl Duguay photo

Viva Bayama (left) and Chaleurs Fantasy nuzzle in the barn.

“I like the posts that we drew for Sunday,” Duguay said. “It is a good post for Viva Bayama (post six). I am glad she drew that one. And post two for Chaleurs Fantasy is very good. That is perfect for her.

“We have been in the harness racing business for many years. My father, Gaston, is 73 and has been in the business for most of his life. It is a family business as my brother Eric is also involved along with myself.

“I have just five racehorses with me near Trois-Rivieres to race at the Hippodrome 3R. We have another 20 horses at our farm in Port-Daniel, Quebec, mostly broodmares and younger horses that Dad and Eric care for. When they are ready to race they send them to me.

“The breeding farm name of Elevage Baie Des Chaleurs comes from the region outside of Quebec called Chaleurs Bay. It is the arm of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between Quebec and New Brunswick. It is where we are from in Port-Daniel.

“We bred Chaleurs Fantasy and I raced her at age 2 and 3 until after the Quebec-Bred Series at 3R. Then I send her to the USA to Hedi Rohr at Saratoga Raceway and she did very well with her. After the final this Sunday I will send her back to Hedi. She (Chaleurs Fantasy) is the best horse we have ever bred and raced from Chaleurs Farm.”

A daughter of Omar Khayam, Chaleurs Fantasy has more than $105,000 in earnings. Last year she won 10 times with a record of 1:53.1. This year she has three wins in four starts. Her only loss was by a slim head in the Quebec-Bred Series to Miss Bro. Last week, in the final preliminary round, Duguay and Charleurs Fantasy led from start to finish in 1:57.1 by 2-1/2 lengths.

Duguay sends Viva Bayama out on Sunday as a mild 4-1 longshot from post six in the sixth race final for trotting mares.

This daughter of Muscle Mass is nearly a $100,000 career winner, but not for Duguay, who bought the mare at the end of the season last year.

“I claimed Viva Bayama last year after she was done racing in the series at 3R,” Duguay explained. “They were racing her in claimers and I got her for $10,000. I was very happy to have her in my stable.”

Not only has Viva Bayama won the series final the last two years, she also set the 3R track record at age 3 in 2014. But she has not been as good now at age 5, having just one win in 11 starts. Fortunately, that victory came in a division of the series to enable her to make it into Sunday’s finale.

“I think she will do very well on Sunday,” Duguay said. “I am not driving her. I put Denis St Pierre on her because he knows the mare. He won the final with her last year.”

So what is this ability that Carl Duguay seems to have with the fillies and mares over the colts and horses?

“I like the mares,” Duguay said. “I talk with them,” he joked. “They need lots of attention. I think my key to success with the mares is patience. You must have lot of patience with horses, especially mares. You have to really know and understand them.”

So what does the future hold for the Duguay Stable after this Sunday’s Quebec-Bred Series finals?

“I think I have the best 3-year-old trotting filly for the Breeders Cup Series that starts at 3R on July 3,” Duguay proudly said. “Her name is Y S Suzanne and I predict that she will break the track record at 3R this season. And not just the filly trot record Viva Bayama did last year in 1:59.2, but the colt record too (Lukes Pierre-1:58.2 in 2003) as I think she is that good.”

After making only six starts at age 2, Duguay purchased the daughter of Angus Hall from owner/breeder Yves Sarrazin. Her lone victory was a big one last year, in the C$41,000 Quebec-Bred Series final at 3R in 2:03.3.

“I see this filly has such ability,” Duguay said. “I already schooled her at 3R in 2:00 and she gets better every start.”

And if just one of Carl Duguay’s mares win on Sunday — or if both can win — what will Duguay do to celebrate?

“Ha Ha Ha,” Duguay laughed. “If we do well or not on Sunday we will go out to dinner after the races with family and friends and have a very good time!”

Track Notes: Post time Sunday is 1:30 p.m. for the 10-race program. The four C$30,000 Quebec-Series finals are races three (Horse Trot), six (Mares Trot), eight (Mares Pace) and nine (Horse Pace).

There is a free race program and free live video feed for Sunday’s races available at www.quebecjockeyclub.com.