from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, QC — The C$125,000 Quebec-Bred Series for 4- and 5-year-old Quebec-owned trotters gets underway at the Hippodrome 3R on Wednesday (May 20). The series is headed by former track record holder Maximuscle.

The series goes on for three weeks of elimination competition with the top eight point earners returning to 3R on Sunday (June 14) for the C$35,000 finals in both gender classes. Each elimination division races for a purse of C$6,500.

A sire stakes champion at the Hippodrome 3R as both a 2- and 3-old, Maximuscle looms over his five competitors in the fourth race co-feature. He will start from post six for driver Mario Charron and is the overwhelming favorite in the race.

Last year Maximuscle earned $96,455 for trainer Maxime Velaye and owner/breeder Ecurie Provoguante of Mirabel, QC, and a lifetime record of 1:54.2 at Mohawk. Sired by Angus Hall, Maximuscle is making his 2015 debut Wednesday.

His main competition will come from George S P (post two), Andovers Touch (post four) and Excel P V (post five).

The first race is the first division for horses in the series and features Ken P V, who won $18,798 last year for trainer Michel Fontaine. The 5-year-old gelded son of Ken Warkentin starts from post two for driver Raymond Vachon. They will be taking on front-runner SOS Masters Boy (post six) and Somoli E (post one).

There are two divisions for trotting mares in races three and six.

Track record holder and 2014 Sires Stakes champion Viva Bayama returns to 3R in strong form this season. Last year she tore apart the Quebec-Bred series for 3-year-old fillies, not only winning $53,747, but rewriting an 18-year-old track record for her age, gait and gender with a 1:59.2 record.

She will start from the rail for driver Denis St. Pierre and comes into the race having won four of seven starts already this year at Rideau Carleton. The 4-year-old mare by Muscle Mass is trained by Sebastien Groux and is owned by Richard Dinelle and Andre St. Laurent.

Looking to give Viva Bayama a race will be undefeated Canbec Kangourou, who is going for her third straight win at 3R for driver Jocelyn Gendron and Bambie Benjo from post two.

The second division is headed by Ocean Mist Beauty, a $38,353 winner last year. The daughter of Kadabra starts from post three for driver Stephane Brosseau. She takes on SOS Afterthestorm (post four) and Y S Intrigante (post one).

The Wednesday live program gets underway at 7 p.m. For more information go to www.quebecjockeyclub.com.