On Sunday afternoon (Nov. 22), the countdown for the prestigious Grand Prix d’Amerique at Vincennes begins. Eighteen trotters are entered in the first of the four qualifying races. They are referred to as B races, as they all used to be named either Prix de Bretagne, Prix de Bourbonnais, Prix de Bourgogne or Prix de Belgique.

However, the French trotting association, Le Trot, has entered a sponsor deal with a Maltese bookmaker, Zeturf and the Braces have been renamed Prix D’Amerique Races Zeturf Qualif No. 1, Qualif No. 2, Qualif No. 3, and Qualif No. 4.

The first three trotters past the post, qualify for the big race and Sunday’s race is quite open.

It will be very interesting to see the Italian trotter, Valzer di Poggio with Jean Michel Bazire, who has won 11 consecutive races this year. It is, however, the first time he will be racing against top class trotters.

The distance is 2,700 meters with a standing start at a distance of 1-11/16 miles and a purse of 95,000 Euro or $112,500.

The field is as follows:
1. Valzer di Poggio (IT) – Jean-Michel Bazire
2. Feerie Wood (FR) – Alexandre Abrivard
3. Calle Crown (SE)– Franck Nivard
4. Fakir du Lorault (FR) – Francois Lecanu
5. Diable de Vauvert (FR) – Gabriele Gelormini
6. Moni Viking (NO) – Björn Goop
7. Drole de Jet (FR) – Pierre Vercruysse
8. Looking Superb (NO) – Christophe Martens
9. Feliciano (FR) – David Thomain
10. Chica de Joudes (FR) – Alain Laurent
11. Erminig d’Oliverie (FR) – Adrien Lamy
12. Delila du Pommereux (FR) – Sylvain Roger
13. Bahia Quesnot (FR) – Junior Guelpa
14. Tony Gio (IT) – Eric Raffin
15. Carat Williams (FR) – Yoann Lebourgeois
16. Davidson du Pont (FR) – Nicolas Bazire
17. Bilibili (FR) – Laurent-Claude Abrivard
18. Billie de Montfort (FR) – Jean-Philippe Monclin