from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Rivieres, PQ — When the Hippodrome 3R opens this Sunday (May 1) for its 2016 harness racing meet, there will be a new driving force at the half-mile oval by the name of Louis-Philippe Roy.

Hippodrome 3R photo

Louis-Philippe Roy had a breakout season at 3R last year.

The 27-year-old resident of Mont-Joli, Quebec has only been driving professionally since 2008 and after a breakout season at 3R last year, he is coming into his own in 2016.

Until last season, Roy averaged just 12 to 20 wins while on the Quebec Fair Circuit and a few drives at the Hippodrome 3R. Then in 2015 he exploded with 58 victories and ended the year with an impressive universal driving rating of .351.

What does Roy attribute his recent success to?

“I don’t know,” Roy said. “I just take it day by day. I know that in this sport you can be very high one day and get as low the next day. As a driver you really depend on the trainers and owners that get confident in you. As long as they keep giving me opportunities to drive, I think that I can have a really good year.”

And that is coming true so far for Louis-Philippe Roy in 2016.

Currently he is the leading driver at Rideau Carleton Raceway, which is a 200 mile drive (3-1/2 hours) from 3R, but the long drive has been worth it for Roy, who already this season has 29 wins and a UDR of .387.

“I’ll be driving every Tuesday at 3R,” Roy said, “But Sundays will be tough as I will have to combine 3R and Rideau, so I might be able to drive a few races at 3R in the afternoon and then at night at Rideau Carleton.”

During the weekdays, Roy works at Telus as an analyst on a marketing intelligence team. His true love is harness racing but the job with Telus allows him to pay the bills as he is not ready to give up his day job for harness racing.

When asked if he felt that this could be the year at 3R that he could challenge Denis St. Pierre and Mario Charron for the driving title, Roy answered the question with a question.

“Can the New York Islanders win the Stanley Cup this year?” Roy explained. “They can, but will they? I would like to think yes, but I’m really not sure.”

Roy says he really enjoys the atmosphere at the Hippodrome 3R.

“I like the “off-track” part of being there. Good people who are friends that love racing.”

Who does Roy feel will be his biggest assets to get drives at 3R this season?

“It’s difficult to answer that question,” Roy explained, “because there are a lot of trainers that give me drives. I drove a lot for Yves Tessier for the last few months at Rideau and have had success with his horses. At 3R, there are Jean Tourigny, Francis Richard and especially Nathalie Migneault with her husband Eric Dechampain. They have been with me since my debut and gave me my first chance in the fair circuit and on the professional tracks too.

“I think this will be a great season at 3R and I want to credit the fact that the Quebec Jockey Club, Vincent Trudel, Francois Carignan and his team are trying things to promote the sport here. It’s the same thing with the Circuit Regional (the Quebec Fairs) that try to get new people interested in the sport in every area of the Province.

“Things like the upcoming All-Star Drivers tournament are always appreciated by the public; people from here will be happy to see these star drivers, and it should also help 3R get attention from not just the rest of Canada, but in the United States too.”

Two of the all-stars in the big tournament on June 5, Yannick Gingras and Daniel Dube, cut their teeth at the Hippodrome 3R before heading to the United States east coast. They have both become world renowned leading drivers.

Does Roy see himself following in their footsteps if the opportunity arises?

“I don’t plan it for now,” Roy said, “but I let things go as they are and if I get an opportunity, I might consider it.”

While Roy wishes he could be one of the all-star drivers competing in the tournament and that goal could well be within his reach in the coming years, he did comment when asked who he felt would win it. And, as a devoted hockey fan and player, had this to say.

“I would like to see any of the drivers win the tournament,” Roy explained with a wink and a smile, “except for Jody Jamieson because he cheers for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”