from Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, QC — Homecoming is always sweet for harness racing driver Daniel Dube and this Sunday will be no exception as the top class driver returns to the Hippodrome 3R for the $200,000 Prix D’Ete.

Born and raised in Trois-Rivieres, Dube learned his trade on the Quebec racing circuit before venturing out to the USA where he has become one of the leading drivers in North America. He now battles annually with premier reinsman George Brennan and Jason Bartlett for the driving title at Yonkers Raceway, currently the richest racetrack in the sport.

Since leaving Quebec and coming to the United States back in 1997, the native son of Trois-Rivieres has tallied 8,162 wins in his career and $99,638,000 million in purses won by the horses he has driven. He is in the top 20 of all-time money winning drivers in harness racing.
But it is always special to come home.

“It is a pleasure for me each time I return to the Hippodrome 3R to race,” Dube said. “This is where I started my career. I never miss the opportunity to go there and visit my family and my wife’s family. It’s always fun to come back.”

Dube’s primary reason for coming home is to drive Somewhere In L A, who is the 3-1 second choice in the $200,000 Prix D’Ete. The race is exclusively for 4-year-old pacers and his is one of the best in North America.

Trained by Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter, Somewhere In L A is a gelded son of world champion Somebeachsomewhere, a career winner of $647,000 and just three starts back teamed up with Dube in winning at Yonkers in 1:52. Somewhere In L A will start from post position three in the tenth race feature.

“He (Somewhere In L A) is a really nice horse,” Dube said, “And Jimmy Takter would not send him up to Quebec if he was not ready to race. With a little racing luck I think we will be OK.”

The all-age track record was set last year in the inaugural revival of the Prix D’Ete when Sunfire Blue Chip erupted with a 1:50.3 victory, lowering the prior record by nearly three full seconds. Dube was second in the race with Duc D’Orleans.

“The track at Trois-Rivieres is fast, there is no doubt,” Dube said. “It compares favorably with the best half-mile tracks in North America.”

The quality of horse flesh coming to 3R on Sunday for the Prix D’Ete and with a forecast of sunny and warm weather, last year’s track record may fall by the wayside.

In addition to Somewhere In L A (post 3), whose lifetime mark is 1:50, also in the race is an entry from the Ron Burke Stable of All Bets Off (post four), a $1.4 million winner with a record this year in 1:48.3. He is coupled with LimeLight Beach (post six), 1:49.1, Big Boy Dreams (post two), 1:49.4, Winds Of Change (post one), 1:48.2 and local favorite, Boomboom Ballykeel (post five), 1:49.3.

Dube is not the only Quebecois coming home on Sunday. Also joining him in the driver colony for 3R’s premier race day are top drivers Simon Allard, who drives Big Boy Dreams for his trainer/co-owner/brother, Rene Allard, along with Mario Ballargeon. All three are welcomed home by local trainers as Dube has eight drives and both Allard and Ballargeon have six drives each on the day.

Prix D’Ete Notes: Three-time Quebec-Bred Sire Stakes champion, Maximuscle, returns to 3R Sunday to headline the eighth race Open Trot feature. He starts from post eight for driver Mario Charron and has yet another impressive season with six wins and one second place finish in just eight starts.

All four opening round winners in the $200,000 Quebec-Bred Series for 2-year-old pacers have returned Sunday for round two. They are Sagawi, HP Sissy, HP Mercedes and Mr Mach Jimmy.

Post time Sunday is at 1:30 .pm. To watch the 3R program live and to get a free program for the race card go to www.quebecjockeyclub.com.