from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — Nine high stepping trotting mares will battle it out in the fourth and final preliminary round of the C$120,000 Quebec-Bred Series at the Hippodrome 3R Tuesday evening (June 14).

This is the final round for 4- and 5-year-old mares and horses. The top eight point earners from the four preliminary rounds will return to 3R on Sunday (June 26) for their respective C$35,000 finals.

Featured in the eighth race division for mares are four ladies that all have won preliminary rounds.

The morning line favorite is trainer Jean Tourigny’s SOS Revange, who has won three of her four starts this season for driver Gaetan Lamy and starts from post five. Last week she suffered her first defeat in 2016, a tough neck loss to rival Viva Bayama.

Starting from post three, Viva Bayama last week was able to grind it out against SOS Revange in the stretch for her first victory of the season, insuring her a spot in the final June 26. She is trained and driven by Carl Duguay.

Second choice in the race is SOS Striking Monte from post seven for driver Pascal Berube. This daughter of Striking Sahbra, trained by Guy Roy, won an opening round of the series in 1:59.4 and was second and third in her other two starts in the series.

Making it three “SOS” horses in the race, all different owners and trainers, is SOS Afterthestorm. She was an upset winner last week in the series at odds of 12-1 and led the field from start to finish, romping by five open lengths for her first win this year for trainer/driver Francine Morrissette.

The horses do battle in a non-wagering race that will be held between the fifth and sixth races on the program as there are only five starters in the field.

The race still holds plenty of excitement after last week’s division saw Me The Boss outkick three-time series champion Maximuscle to the wire in a photo finish.

Me The Boss starts from post five for driver Louis-Philippe Roy and last week was able to come on the outside against race leader Maximuscle and collar him around the final turn and then close in the final strides to win by a neck in 1:59.2.

Francis Richard trains Me The Boss, who now boasts four win on the season.

Maximuscle starts alongside Me The Boss from post four for driver Mario Charron and trainer Maxime Velaye.

Post time Tuesday evening is 7 p.m.