by the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ —Sunday’s (July 9) program at Hipppodrome 3R has four divisions of the second round of the C$220,000 Breeders Cup Series for 3-year-old colt and filly pacers. After the third preliminary round, the top eight point earners in the series return on Sunday, Sept. 3 for their respective C$65,000 finals.

The series kicks off in the third race for the colts, where a classic matchup will take place between Wildriverbumblebee takes on C L Sportaction.

Last week in the opening round, Dr. John Bradbury’s Wildriverbumblebee starts from post two for driver Stephane Brosseau. In his first start of the season, the sophomore colt by Sportswriter, who is now trained by Francis Richard, was in peak form, leading from start to finish in 1:56. Dr. Bradbury bred and owns Wildriverbumblebee, who was last year’s Future Stars Champion at age 2.

Wildriverbumblebee is the 3-1 second choice in the race as the morning line favorite is C L Sportsaction from post six for driver Jonathan Lachance.

Also sired by Sportswriter, C L Sportsaction has been razor sharp this season for trainer Mario Lachance and the C Leblanc Stable. He has won five of his seven starts and is one a two-race win streak. In his last start, he struck gold in the Ontario Sire Stakes at Mohawk, winning in a lifetime best 1:52.4. His prior start was at H3R where he won by 7-1/4 lengths in 1:55.4.

Also in the race is Western Phil (post 3), who was second to Wildriverbumblebee last week and Histoire Enchantee (post 4), who has been second in his last two starts.

The seventh race is the second division for the colts and featured is another great battle between Rebel Voyager and Doc Semalu.

Rebel Voyager starts from post five for driver Stephane Gendron and last week in the opening round he exploded with an impressive wire-to-wire triumph in 1:57.4 for trainer Francis Richard. It was the son of Shanghai Phil’s ninth win this year for the ICR Racing Group, who own and bred the horse.

Doc Semalu goes from post two for trainer/driver and Hall of Famer, Yves Filion. Last week the son of Mach Three was able to get a third-place check against Wildriverbumblebee.

The 3-year-old fillies get started in the fifth race where YS Tallia takes on Yaris Bayama.

YS Tallia is a daughter of Western Hanover, bred and owned by Yves Sarrazin of La Presentation. Unraced at two, she is coming off her best mile ever last week when she won the $50,000 consolation race of the James M Lynch Memorial in a lifetime best 1:51.4 mile for driver Simon Allard. She starts from post five.

“YS Tailia won in 1:51.4 last Saturday against some of best 3-year-old fillies in North America,” said trainer Rene Allard. “And this week we had the option of going in the PA All-Stars or the Quebec Series and we went for the Quebec stake since the owner and breeder, Yves Sarazin, is from Quebec. It’s also with great pride that we race her at home for both the race fans and as Yves will be there and he is one of my biggest owners.

It will not be a “walk in the park” for YS Talilia, as Yaris Bayama will be tough to beat. She starts from post four for trainer/driver/breeder, Yves Filion, of Bayama Farms. Another one sired by Sportswriter, Yaris Bayama won C$231,000 last year at age two. Last week she was parked out the entire mile but still held on to finish second to Future Headlines in 1:57.3.

The second division for fillies is the eighth race where last year’s champion, Queen Elsa, starts from post one for driver Steeven Genois against last week’s winner D Gs Elsa, who goes from post three for driver Jonathan Lachance.

Last week D Gs Elsa notched her third straight win in just five starts for trainer Guylaine Fortin, who co-own and bred the daughter of Shanghai Phil with Daniel Surprenant.

In all of her three straight wins, D Gs Elsa led from start to finish, the fastest a lifetime best 1:57.2 mile at H3R.

Queen Elsa has yet to regain her winning form from last year and is winless in eight starts this season, racing mainly in New York. Also in contention will be Sophies Cam (post four).

Post time Sunday is 12:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.