from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — The return of superstar harness racing driver Gaetan Lamy headlines Sunday’s (May 3) opening day card at the Hippodrome 3R.

The Hippodrome 3R starts its 2015 season, the first of 41 race programs, with a new Sunday post time of 1:30 p.m. The track, which is open year-round for simulcasting, will race Sunday afternoons and new this season, on Wednesday evenings (post time 7 p.m.) through Oct. 25. There is one special Saturday live race program (Aug. 22), which is the day before the C$200,000 Prix D’Ete.

Lamy, now 68, is scheduled to compete in six of the ten races on opening day Sunday, including the second race feature with Vahinde C C. This will be Lamy’s first drive back at his native Trois-Rivieres, where he has won the driving title over the year a total of 19 times.

Returning to professional driving after retiring in 2010, Lamy “got the itch” to drive and competed in some Quebec fairs in 2014 and now wishes to return to professional driving.

Lamy was the 1992 O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s Driver of the Year. Over his superb career he has 6,698 career wins and his UDR is an impressive .318.

The defending driving champion at the Hippodrome 3R in 2014 was Denis St. Pierre and he has returned to defend his title. But ironically, last year’s leading trainer, Eric Valiquette, does not have a horse entered on the opening day program.

“I am fit and ready for the start of the new season,” said St. Pierre. “It will be a good thing that Gaetan Lamy is returning to race at 3R this meet. He is a great driver, he will add to the competition and I love that.”

The C$1 million-plus Quebec-Bred Series gets started next week with the older horse divisions.

The C$200,000 Prix D’Ete on Sunday (Aug. 23) has the richest and fastest 4-year-olds in North America eligible for the rich purse. Top horses nominated include 2014 Dan Patch and O’Brien award winner McWicked, along with He’s Watching, All Bets Off, Limelight Beach, Always B Miki and Somewhere In LA.

“We are very excited about our new season at Hippodrome 3R,” said Vincent Trudel, the racetrack general manager. “The return of Gaetan Lamy is great news as he will most certainly be a welcome addition to our driver colony.

“The Quebec-bred Series we know will be much more competitive this season, and this year’s Prix D’Ete is going to feature world champion performers right here at 3R. We also have our new slanted starting gate arriving soon and many great promotions for our racing fans. We are ready to open the doors on Sunday.”