by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Once again Ready Cash proved that he might be the best trotter around as he won the French marathon race, Grand Prix de Paris, in a photo finish on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24) at Vincennes.

His driver, Franck Nivard, eased Ready Cash during the race and was last in the field of 11 trotters until going into the stretch. Then Nivard made his move. On the far outside Ready Cash came flying and just at the finish line he nipped Tiego d’Etang. with Christian Bigeon, for the win.

The Grand Prix de Paris is the third big international race for open class trotters during the Winter meeting at Vincennes; the two others are the Grand Prix d’Amerique and the Grand Prix de France. Ready Cash was second in the Prix d’Amerique and has won the Prix de France and now the Prix de Paris.

Royal Dream, who won the Prix d’Amerique and was was second in the Prix de France, didn’t race in the Prix de Paris.

The Grand Prix de Paris is raced over the 2-5/16th mile distance and Ready Cash was timed in 2:00.2 (mile rate). The purse for the winner was $265,000 and Ready Cash now has total earnings of $5.3 million.

Ready Cash is “the talk of the town” as he is not only a top class trotter, but his first crop — now 3-year-olds — are dominating the classic races. Out of the four most winning French 3-year-olds, three of them are sired by Ready Cash.

Ready Cash stand at stud for $23,000 live foal.