Trois-Rivieres, QC — The post positions have been drawn for Sunday’s (Aug. 18) C$200,000 Prix d’Ete at the Hippodrome 3R. The Prix d’Ete is for 4-year-old pacers.

Jimmy Freight has $1,097,188 bankrolled and he drew post six. The son of Sportswriter, owned by Adriano Sorella and trained in Canada by Richard Moreau (Andrew Harris in the USA), has only one win this season, but it was a lifetime mark of 1:48.1 in winning the $75,000 Gold Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He has been racing most of the season against the best older horses in the nation, including Lather Up and McWicked. He has four second place finishes.

While racing against the best Free-For-All pacers in North America this season, This Is The Plan can boast finishing second to the best of them. He drew post four and will be driven by Trois-Rivieres native Daniel Dube. In his four most recent starts, the gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere has been second in the Sam McKee Memorial, the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial, the William Haughton Memorial and the Graduate. In his lone win this year, This Is The Plan captured the $500,000 Ben Franklin final, beating McWicked and Western Fame in a lifetime best clocking of 1:48.2. The career winner of $1,194,158 is trained by Ron Burke.

This Is The Plan will race as part of an entry from the Burke Stable with the Well Said gelding Done Well, a $533,245 career winner. Done Well starts from post three for driver Bob McClure and has also been racing in the top classes this year. Earlier this season he won the 41st annual Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs.

Also starring in the field is the Astronomical stallion Casimir Richie P for trainer and co-owner Dr. Ian Moore. Casimir Richie P comes to H3R on a three-race winning streak in the Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The razor-sharp Casimir Richie P has won four of his last five starts. Driving him will be Quebec’s own Sylvain Filion. He will need to be sharp on Sunday, having drawn the far outside post eight.

Another entry, this one from the Chris Oakes Stable, features tough pacers Hitman Hill and Turbo Hill, both of whom are co-owned by Tom Hill. Hitman Hill makes his debut at H3R, shipping in on a two-race win streak and has won three of his last four starts. The American Ideal gelding sports six wins this year, the fastest a lifetime mark of 1:49 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. He drew post one and will be driven by Eric Goodell, who makes his driving debut at H3R.

Stablemate Turbo Hill, also sired by American Ideal, has been racing mainly at Yonkers Raceway’s half-mile over and has an amazing 11 wins for trainer/driver Hunter Oakes, Chris Oakes’ son. He has been second in his last two starts in the 4-year-old Open and has a record this year of 1:49.4. He drew post position seven for driver Hunter Oakes, who is also making his debut at H3R.

The Downtown Bus has five wins this year for trainer Jeff Gillis, who also co-owns the gelded son of Mach Three. He has been first, second and third in his last three starts at Yonkers and has a record of 1:48 this year, making him the fastest competitor in the field. He drew post five.

Pretty Handsome ships in from Georgian Downs where the Mach Three gelding has eight wins and has been first or second the last six starts in the Preferred Pace. He will be driven by Trevor Richie for trainer Andrew McCabe. Pretty Handsome drew post two. He has a record this year of 1:51.1 at Georgian Downs and shows he can win from on or off the pace.

C$200,000 Prix d’Ete
Post-Horse-Trainer-Driver
1. Hitman Hill–Hunter Oakes-Eric Goodell
2. Pretty Handsome–Andrew McCabe–Trevor Ritchie
3. Done Well-Ron Burke–Bob McClure
4. This Is The Plan–Ron Burke–Daniel Dube
5. The Downtown Bus–Jeff Gillis-TBA
6. Jimmy Freight-Richard Moreau-Louis Philippe Roy
7. Turbo Hill–Hunter Oakes–Hunter Oakes
8. Casimir Richie P-Dr. Ian Moore-Sylvain Filion

With a forecast of sunny skies and 80 degrees, the all-age track record of 1:50.3 co-held by past Prix d’Ete winners Sunfire Blue Chip (2014) and All Bets Off (2015) will be in jeopardy with this stellar field.

The Prix d’Ete will be the 11th race on the 12-race program Sunday and estimated post time is 4:25 p.m.

Also on Sunday at H3R will be the third round of the Breeders Cup Series for 3-year-old pacing colts and fillies. Post time Sunday is 1 p.m.