by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent

After six consecutive second place finishes, French trotting star and Triple Crown champion, Bold Eagle, driven by Franck Nivard, finally returned to the winner’s circle Sunday afternoon (March 11) at the track at Cagnes sur Mer in Southern France.

Gerard Forni photo

Bold Eagle crushes his competition on Sunday afternoon in Southern France.

Bold Eagle won the Grand Criterium de Vitesse de la Cote’Azur in impressive style followed by stablemate Billie de Montfort, driven by Nicolas Ensch, who was two lengths behind.

Bold Eagle was timed in 1.50.4, which is a new race-record and equaled the track record held by Commander Crowe.

Billie de Montfort shot to the lead as the gate left the field, but after the first quarter Bold Eagle came and took over to lead the field to the finish line.

After the race, his connections was handed an invitation to race in the Elitlopp in late May at Solvalla, which they accepted.

Bold Eagle will race one time before the Elitloppet in the Prix de L’Atlantique at Enghien in a month’s time.

With today’s purse for the winner of €90,000, Bold Eagle surpassed $4 million in lifetime earnings; he is now $1 million short of Timoko, the richest French trotter ever.