by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Eighteen trotters will compete in the 1 million Euro race, Grand Prix d’Amerique Opodo 2017 on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 29) at Vincennes and for the first time in many years, two North American-bred trotters are entered.
They are Wild Honey and Propulsion, both owned by the big Swedish stable The Zet Stable and trained by Daniel Redén. In fact Redén will make history in the race as he is the first trainer to send out four trotters. Besides Wild Honey and Propulsion he has Lionel from Norway and Call Me Keeper from Sweden.
Six out of the 18 trotters entered are foreign bred: Three from Italy (Treasure Kronos, Princess Grif and Oasis Bi), two from the United States (Wild Honey and Propulsion) and one from Sweden, Call Me Keeper.
French trotting sensation Bold Eagle, driven by Franck Nivard, is the big favorite to win the race for the second consecutive time.
The distance is 1-11/16th miles.
Here is the field:
1. Treasure Kronos–Christopher Eriksson
2. Briac Dark–David Thomain
3. Call Me Keeper–Pierre Vercurysse
4. Propulsion–Ôrjan Kihlström
5. Belina Josselyn–Jean Michael Bazire
6. Lionel–Matthieu Abrivard
7. Booster Winner–Eric Raffin
8. Princess Grif–Roberto Andreghetti
9. Anna Mix–Mathieu Mottier
10. Bird Parker–Jean-Philippe Monclin
11. Akim du Cap Vert–Franck Anne
12. Wild Honey–Gabriele Gelormini
13. Voltigeur du Myrt–Lorenzo Donati
14. Oasis Bi–Johnny Takter
15. Univers de Pan-Philippe Daugeard
16. Tiego d’Ëtang–Charles Bigeon
17. Bold Eagle–Franck Nivard
18. Timoko–Bjørn Goop
- Who can beat Bold Eagle? (Saturday, January 28, 2017)
The French trotting star Bold Eagle, driven by Franck Nivard, is the heavy favorite for Prix d’Amerique Opodo at Vincennes Sunday (Jan. 29) at 10:05 a.m. (EST) and he could be as short as 4-10 in the betting.