Trois-Rivieres, QC — A full field of eight 4-year-old pacers will compete Sunday (Aug. 18) at Hippodrome 3R in the return of the Prix d’Été Grand Circuit race, which carries a purse of C$200,000.
A total of 10 horses were entered in the prestigious stakes event, which was last held at Hippodrome 3R in 2019. The stakes conditions state that the top eight 2024 money winners get into the race. The remaining two are the also eligibles.
The eight finalists, with nominated drivers and trainers, are:
HD-Post-Name-Sire-DriverTrainer-M/L Odds
1 (2) Act Fast (Downbytheseaside) Daniel Dube – Ron Burke 3-1
1A (6) Tip Top Cat (Always B Miki) Stephane Brosseau – Ron Burke 3-1
2 (1) El Rey (Captaintreacherous) Louis-Philippe Roy – Andrew Harris 4-1
3 (3) Redwood Hanover (Stay Hungry) Jonathan Drury – Anthony Beaton 6-1
4 (4) Huntingthelastdolar (Huntsville) Doug McNair – Per Engblom 5/2
5 (5) No Control (Control The Moment) Jody Jamieson – Tan Micallef 5-1
6 (7) It’s My Show (Sweet Lou) James MacDonald – Linda Toscano 7/2
7 (8) Light The Torch (Always B Miki) Pascal Berube – Marc-Andre Simoneau 10-1
It’s My Show is the class of the field and a career winner of $1.26 million. The royally-bred son of Sweet Lou-Put On A Show last year won the Little Brown Jug and the Pepsi North America Cup. In his last race, the $220,000 Sam McKee Memorial at the Meadowlands, he was second by a neck to Rocknroll Runa A’s pylon-skimming 1:47.3 win.
Act Fast (Downbytheseaside) entered the Prix d’Été off the fastest mile of his career last week, winning the $100,000 Myron Charna President’s Pace over MGM Northfield Park’s half-mile oval in 1:50.2. It was his fourth win on the year for the Ron Burke stable, who has also entered Tip Top Cat, a 1:50.4 winner this season.
Light The Torch (Always B Miki) is the local favorite, having raced and won numerous times at Hippodrome 3R for trainer Marc-André Simoneau and has a record this year of 1:53.2 at Rideau Carleton.
Once the premier race in all of Canada, the Prix d’Été was originally for 3-year-old pacers and featured the best colts in North America year after year. Previous winners included Bret Hanover, Albatross, Niatross, Hot Hitter, Cam Fella, On The Road Again, Ralph Hanover, Matt’s Scooter, and a host of other top pacers.
The Prix d’Été was last held at Hippodrome 3R in 2019, when This Is The Plan and driver Daniel Dubé set the all-time track, stakes, and Canadian half-mile track record of 1:49.1.
The Prix D’Été will be held as the 10th race on the 12-race Sunday card, which begins at 12 noon. Also on the program will be the third leg of the Future Stars Series for Quebec-bred 2-year-old pacing colts and fillies. There will be two divisions for colts and one for fillies.