by Laurent Sauve, for the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — Both opening round winners, Atomic Million AM and Chaleurs Fantasy, will have their work cut for them in order to repeat in Sunday’s (May 29) second round of the C$120,000C Quebec-bred Series at the Hippodrome 3R.

Post time is 1:30 pm.

The series is for 4 and 5-year-olds pacers with four preliminary rounds culminating with C$30,000C finals on Sunday (June 26).

Last week Atomic Million AM took the male horse division with a 1:55 triumph while Chaleurs Fantasy was impressive in her 1:57.3 victory.

The mares go first in the 6th race where 2014 series champion Chaleurs Fantasy and trainer/driver Carl Duguay start from post six. Last year the 5-year-old mare by Omar Kkayam wired the field and also held off race favorite Wanda Bayama in her first-over bid, winning by three-quarters of a length.

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Voodoo Charm and Mario Charron look to return to the winner’s circle in 2016.

Wanda Bayama is back and starts from post seven for Hall of Fame trainer/driver Yves Filion. Also in the lineup is the return of last year’s series champion Voodoo Charm.

Now age four, Voodoo Charm starts from post three for trainer Maxime Belayel and driver Mario Charron. The daughter of Ponder has not fared well this year, making a break and falling in her second qualifying race at Rideau Carlton on Tuesday (May 11). Last week she put in a decent effort in qualifying at 3R and should be a contender along with Hawaiian Drummond (post one).

The males do battle in race nine and two-time series champion Atomic Million AM goes from post five for trainer Alain Martin and driver Sylvain Lacaille. He is the 5-2 morning line favorite after holding off C L Art Magic and trainer/driver Yves Filion by a half-length last week. C L Art Magic drew the far outside post eight on Sunday (May 29).

Second choice in the race is the return of last year’s series champion 3-year-old, Sugarsam. He goes from post two for driver Denis St-Pierre and trainer Yves Tessier. Despite being 0 for 8 this season at Mohawk Raceway, Sugarsam has been racing in 1:51 and 1:52 his last few starts and should fare well from his inside post and return to 3R.

Two other newcomers to the field are D G’s Justlikethat (post one) for driver Jonathan Lachance and Electric Western (post four) for driver Richard Simard. Another invader from Ontario, D G’s Justlikethat won at Flamboro Down’s half-mile oval already this season in 1:56.3. Electric Western is winless in seven starts but also shows 1:51 speed at Mohawk Raceway.

TRACK NOTES: Once again the Hippodrome 3R half-mile oval was razor sharp Tuesday (May 24) as ten of the 11 races on the program were won in sub 2:00 time.

For a free race program and free live video streaming of the Hippodrome 3R races, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.