Prix d'Été (English: Summer Classic) is a horse racing event for four-year-old Standardbred pacers held annually in Canada, at Hippodrome 3R of Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
History This event was held for the first time in 1966 under the name of Prix d'Automne (Autumn Classic) at the now defunct Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal. Run over a distance of one mile on a 5/8 mile oval track, the race was open to pacers age four and older. A $50,000 purse made it the richest harness race at that time in Canadian history. In 1967 the race was renamed the L'Amble du Centenaire (Centennial Pace) in honor of Canada's 100th anniversary and made open to pacers age three and older. In 1968 it became the Prix d'Été and in 1971 was modified to a stake race for three-year-old pacers.Standardbred Canada - March 1, 2014, Retrieved August 2, 2016.
Cancellation and Revival The Prix d'Été was one of the top harness races in North America until 1992. The 1993 edition had to be cancelled due to a five-month strike action by horsemen. Deemed as no longer viable, the owners decided to close the track but in 1995 a municipal government corporation, Le Société d'habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), purchased the track and renamed it Hippodrome de Montréal. Taken over and operated by the provincial government agency SONACC (Société nationale du cheval de course), but eventually withdrew its support and placed their operating company under bankruptcy protection on October 13, 2009, and permanently closed the facility.CBC.ca Montreal racetrack closed under bankruptcy protection
The Prix d'Été was not held again until being revived in 2014 at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières as a race for four-year-olds. With a purse of $500,000 in 2019, it became the most remunerative race in North America for four-year-old pacers.Standardbred Canada, Retrieved September 11, 2019.
Records Most wins by a driver: 2 - Keith Waples (1972, 1975) 2 - Michel Lachance (1988, 1989) 2 - Yannick Gingras (2014, 2016)
Most wins by a trainer: 6 – Billy Haughton (1967, 1970, 1974)
Stakes record: 1:50 3/5 – Sunfire Blue Chip (2014) & All Bets Off (2015)
Prix d'Été winners Year Winner Age Driver Trainer Owner Time Purse2016Rockin Ron4 Yannick Gingras Ron Burke Burke Racing Stable LLC 1:52 0/0 $200,0002015 All Bets Off 4 Matt Kakaley Ron Burke Burke Racing Stable LLC 1:50 3/5 $200,0002014 Sunfire Blue Chip 4 Yannick Gingras Jimmy Takter Christina Takter, Brixton Medical AB, et al. 1:50 3/5 $200,0001993 - 2013 Race not held1992 Direct Flight 3 John Campbell Kelvin Harrison Joseph Alflen 1:52 1/5 $307,4001991 Die Laughing 3 Richard Silverman Jerry Silverman Alnoff Stable & Val D'Or Farms 1:51 2/5 $603,5001990 Beach Towel 3 Ray Remmen Larry Remmen Uptown Stable 1:53 1/5 $663,5001989Goalie Jeff3 Michel Lachance Tom ArtandiCentre Ice Stable1:52 1/5 $632,5001988Matt's Scooter3Michel LachanceHarry J. PoultonGordon & Illa Rumpel, Charles Juravinski1:54 4/5 $582,0001987Frugal Gourmet 3Trevor RitchieBlair BurgessExcellent Stable1:53 3/5$548,0001986 Armbro Emerson3 Walter WhelanBrian BurtonEd Weisz & Light Heavy Weight Stable1:56 0/0$527,5001985 Falcon Seelster 3 Tom Harmer Tom Harmer Ciara Stable & Charles Day 1:53 2/5 $358,0001984 Butler BG 3 Ted Wing Camilla Stanfield Lawrence Cadish 1:53 4/5 $411,5001983 Ralph Hanover 3 Ron Waples Stewart Firlotte Ron Waples, Pointsetta Stables, Grants Direct Stables 1:54 0/0 $411,5001982 Cam Fella 3 Pat Crowe Pat Crowe Norman Clements & Norman Faulkner 1:55 1/5 $377,0001981 Seahawk Hanover 3 Ben Webster Samuel "Skip" Lewis Dave Harris, Samuel Lewis, et al. 1:55 3/5 $226,1001980 Niatross 3 Clint Galbraith Clint Galbraith Niatross Syndicate 1:53 4/5 $161,6501979 Hot Hitter 3 Hervé Filion Louis Meittinis Solomon Katz, S A J & Alterman Stables 1:54 0/0 $181,1501978 Abercrombie 3 Glen Garnsey Glen Garnsey L. Keith Bulen & Shirley A. Mitchell 1:55 4/5 $150,7501977 Governor Skipper 3 John Chapman H. "Bucky" Norris Ivanhoe Stable 1:54 3/5 $154,7501976 Precious Fella 3 Gary Cameron Del Cameron Oscar & Michael Kimmelman, et al. 1:56 4/5 $163,7001975 Albert's Star 3 Keith Waples Keith Waples Seiling Stable 1:58 0/0 $140,0001974 Armbro Omaha 3 Peter Haughton Billy Haughton Armstrong Brothers Stables 1:57 4/5 $150,0001973 Armbro Nadir 3 Nelson White Nelson White Dr. Donald Davis 1:56 1/5 $130,0001972 Strike Out 3 Keith Waples John Hayes Beejay Stable 1:58 2/5 $100,0001971 Albatross 3 Stanley Dancer Stanley Dancer Amicable Stable 1:57 2/5 $75,0001970 Laverne Hanover 4 George Sholty Billy Haughton Thomas W. Murphy, Jr. 1:57 2/5 $75,0001969 Race not held1968 True Duane 5 Norman "Chris" Boring Leon Boring Richard Oldfield 1:58 0/0 $50,0001967 Romulus Hanover 3 Billy Haughton Billy Haughton Farmstead Acres Farm 1:57 1/5 $50,0001966 Bret Hanover 4 Frank Ervin Frank Ervin Richard Downing 1:59 0/0 $50,000
References
External links