by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Some 42 years ago, legendary French trotter Bellino II won the prestigious Prix Rene Balliere for the third time in a row. The race is one of the finest open trot races in France during the summer.

Gerard Forni photo

Bold Eagle was driven by Franck Nivard as he copied Bellino II by winning the Prix Rene Balliere at Vincennes very easily — and also for the third time in a row.

Since then no horse has been able to win the race three times in a row — until Sunday afternoon (June 24).

Bold Eagle was driven by Franck Nivard as he copied Bellino II by winning the Prix Rene Balliere at Vincennes very easily — and also for the third time in a row. A total of 8,136 fans were at Vincennes and they saw Bold Eagle win the 1-5/16th mile event in 1:53.1f. The purse for the winner was $105,000.

Franck Nivard had a great day as he also won the main event of the day, the under-saddle race Prix du President de la Republique, with a purse for the winner of $125,000. Nivard was in the saddle of 24-1 shot Elladora de Forgan.

The best 3-year-old trotters met in another under-saddle race, Prix d’Essai, over 1-11/16th miles and the winner Fado du Chene with Paul-Philippe Ploquin was timed in 1:57.3 (mile rate), which was a new French record. The old record was held by Bird Parker and was 1:58.3.