In harness racing, having an undefeated two-year-old trotting filly is the ultimate dream, and Chic Choc Rose is set to defend her perfect record on Friday, August 2, at Hippodrome 3R.
Trained, bred, and driven by Marie-Claude Auger, Chic Choc Rose is a Royalty For Life-Torches Angel filly co-owned with Catheline Pelletier and Arianne Girard. She enters the eighth race, one of two $7,500 divisions of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old trotting fillies, as the 2-1 morning line favourite and unbeaten in her first two starts.
Starting from Post 2, Chic Choc Rose comes off a victory in the series' opening round, where she led wire-to-wire in 2:03.3, faster than her colt counterparts. Her main competitors include Massive Emotion (Post 4), who finished second to Chic Choc Rose last time out for driver Pascal Berube and trainer Cassandra Lecourt, and Soleo (Post 3), trained by Maxime Velaye and driven by Stephane Brosseau.
The $7,500 first division for fillies, the second race of the card, features Kinnder Kahina (Post 3), driven by Robert Shepherd for trainer/owner Denitza Petrova. Kinnder Kahina, a Northern Escort-Witch Way filly, was a strong second in her last start, pacing her final quarter in :30.2. Miche Charm (Post 1) and Masoterapeute (Post 2) will also compete, along with Elle Est Belle (Post 5), who is making her debut after a second-place finish in a 2:02 qualifying race at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
In the fourth race, trotting colts will vie for a $10,000 purse. Muscles Du Haras, the favourite, will start from Post 2 with driver Auger. He won his last race wire-to-wire in 2:04.2. Another top contender is Im Just A Gigolo (Post 3), who won his maiden race in 2:07.1 and is driven by Jerome Lombart, who also bred, owns, and trains the colt.
Racing begins at 4 p.m. on Friday with an 11-race card. Sunday's program starts at noon and will showcase the second round of the Future Stars Series for two-year-old pacers.