Italian-bred 5-year-old Vivid Wise As, driven by Björn Goop, won the Group 2-race Prix Marcel Laurent at Vincennes over 1-5/16 miles Thursday (Nov. 7) in convincing style, timed in 1:53.4 (mile rate).

Vivid Wise As, driven by Björn Goop, won the Group 2-race Prix Marcel Laurent at Vincennes. Gerard Forni photo.

Vivid Wise As — trained in Italy by Alessandro Gocciadoro — was sired by Yankee Glide and out of Temple Blue Chip, she by Cantab Hall.

After some traffic trouble in the beginning, Goop managed to bring Vivid Wise As to the front, but was soon overtaken by outsider Excellent with Alexandre Abrivard. Going into the stretch Goop found racing room and Vivid Wise As won very easily. The purse for the winner was $50,000.

Vivid Wise As, who took victory number 15 from 36 starts, has lifetime earnings of more than $640,000. In August he won at Cagnes sur Mer in 1:50.2, which is still the fastest record in Europe in 2019.

Vivid Wise As is owned by the powerful Italian stable Scuderia Bivans, who also owns another potential Prix d’Amerique trotter, Face Time Bourbon.