from the Quebec Jockey Club

Trois-Riveres, PQ — He’s on a five-race winning streak and now Wildriverbumblebee is returning to his home track at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday (Oct. 8) to take on older rivals in the Invitational Pace.The lone 3-year-old is facing five older male rivals and one tough mare as Wildriverbumblebee has his work cut out for him once again in the eighth co-featured race.

thephotodesk.ca photo

Trainer Francis Richard (right) and Stephane Brousseau (left) team up again with Wildriverbumblebee.

It’s not the first time he has faced older rivals. His five-race win streak began back on Aug. 6 at Rideau Carlton where he was able to leave and get a perfect two-hole trip, drawing off in the stretch to win in 1:54.1. Since then, it was all stakes races and all victories.

Owned and bred by Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Easton, Wildriverbumblebee is a son of Sportswriter out of the Mach Three mare, Alcor Semalu. His record this season is seven wins from just nine starts with one second place finish.

His is trained by Francis Richard, whose Universal Training Rating at H3R is a very impressive .425, mainly because of Wildriverbumblebee’s success this season. On Sunday, he starts from the outside in post seven for driver Stephane Brosseau, the leading driver at H3R this season.

Wildriverbumblebee’s current winning streak includes not only one leg, but also the C$65,000 final of the Breeders Cup Series at H3R, then it was two legs of the Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots Series, taking his lifetime mark of 1:51.2 at Mohawk Raceway. Then last week was the icing on the cake as he won the C$50,000 Grassroots final at Mohawk in 1:52.1.

“I am very happy,” said trainer Francis Richard. “And also blessed to have him in my barn.”

It seems that Wildriverbumblebee has no issues in traveling hours on end for his races. On his five-race winning streak he has been at H3R, Rideau Carlton, Georgian Downs and Mohawk Raceway. That’s a lot of road travel time in the horse trailer.

“He travels very well,” Richard said. “He’s had a good week now. He shipped home from Mohawk in very good shape for Sunday’s race.”

What training schedule does Richard do for Wildriverbumblebee between all the shipping to different tracks?

“It is never the same every week,” Richard explained. “I go with how he is feeling. He does get time in the paddock every morning.”

With no more stakes races on his schedule for 3-year-olds, Wildriverbumblebee now has to face older horse in overnight races, which is no easy task.

On Sunday, he will be going against Team Allard’s Crombie A, who starts from post five for driver Mario Charron. Crombie A, two starts back, was second to Glass Shadow in the Invitational Pace at H3R.

Also in the race is return winner, National Debt, for driver Stephane Gendron. Last week National Debt won at Rideau Carlton in 1:54 for his seventh win this season for trainer Yves Tessier, who is currently the second leading percentage trainer in all of Canada at .428.

Other contenders in the field include the lone mare, Rainbow Palace (post six), who is seeking her seventh win on the year, Mr Mach Jimmy (post four) and Highpoint Chip (post one), who is gunning for his ninth win this year for trainer/driver Pascal Berube.

“It’s a nice group of horses,” Richard said. “It’s always tougher going against older horses. I think my colt will do fine even from the outside post. He has shown he can race well on the lead or from behind.”

Sunday’s strong race card at H3R also features an Invitational Trot in the ninth race where Jamigo seeks a repeat performance.

After a dismal performance at Rideau Carlton last week, Jamigo looks to rebound back at his home track. Two starts back the 8-year-old gelded son of Amigo Hall beat the best at H3R in 1:59.4. He will start from post seven for driver Daniel Laflamme and they are going for their eighth win this year.

Torches Angel, one of just two mares in the field of nine, is coming off a 1:58 score at Rideau Carlton last week for trainer Yves Tessier and goes from post five for driver Stephane Brosseau.

Other contenders include Moonbeam Hall for driver/trainer Pascal Berube. He has been second or first in his last three starts at H3R but for the second straight start, drew poorly with post eight again.

Veteran trotter, Four Starz Speed (post six) is the oldest competitor in the field at age 12 but still has plenty of trot, finishes second in his last two outings for driver/trainer Kevin Maquire.

Post time Sunday is 12:30 p.m. For a free race program, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.