The 5-year-old French trotter Face Time Bourbon was an easy winner of the prestigious Prix d’Amerique at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 26).

Face Time Bourbon was an easy winner of the prestigious Prix d’Amerique. Gerard Forni photo.

Parked fourth over behind race favorite Davidson du Pont with Franck Ouvrie, Face Time Bourbon got racing room on the inside going into the stretch and finished strong to win by more than a length in 1:55 (mile rate). Davidson du Pont finished second followed by last year’s winner Belina Josselyn, with Jean Michel Bazire.

The Grand Prix d’Amerique is known as the toughest trotting race in the world and this was just the third time within the last 25 years that a 5-year-old trotter won the race. Since 1920, when the first Prix d’Amerique was raced, just 11 5-year-old trotters have won the race.

Face Time Bourbon, who is owned by a syndicate of French and Italian owners and is trained by Sebastian Guarato, got the winner’s purse of $445,000.

Face Time Bourbon is the second winner by Ready Cash in the Prix d’Amerique. It was also the second win for Björn Goop of Sweden.

Face Time Bourbon has already started his career as a stallion and is quite popular. An owner of a stallion share in Face Time Bourbon turned down a bid of 125,000 Euro — or approximately $140,000 — at the Prix d’Amerique sale.