by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent
Fifteen trotters are entered in the Prix de Belgique at Vincennes in Paris on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 14), which is the fourth and last qualifying race for the Prix d’Amerique. The big question is will Bold Eagle return to winning form after three seconds?
Gerard Forni photo
Bold Eagle, shown here winning his 2017 Elitlopp elimination will face Readly Express for the first time on Sunday at Vincennes.
Bold Eagle is still considered the favorite to win his third consecutive Prix d’Amerique, but the competition is much tougher than previously. We will get a good indication for the Prix d’Amerique and of Bold Eagle’s chances for new glory, as Swedish superstar Readly Express is also a member of the field
Readly Express, who just like Bold Eagle is sired by Ready Cash, has raced and won twice at Vincennes with the last time being in the prestigious Prix Tenor de Baune.
The Prix de Belgique is the first time the two trotting giants have met.
The distance in the Prix de Belgique is longer than the Prix d’Amerique as Sunday’s race is over 2,850 meters (approx. 1-3/4 miles), while the Prix d’Amerique is raced over 2,700 meters or 1-11/16 miles.
The total purse is 120,000 Euro or $146,500. The Prix de Belgique is the sixth race on the card and is scheduled to begin at 10:10 a.m. Eastern.
The field is as follows:
1 Takethem (DK) – Alexandre Abrivard
2 Blooma d’Heripre (FR) – Louis Baudron
3 Treasure Kronos (IT) – Gabriele Gelormini
4 Call me Keeper (SE) – Pierre Vercruysse
5 Briac Dark (FR) – Matthieu Abrivard
6 Charly du Noyer (FR) – Yoann Lebourgeois
7 Carat Williams (FR) – David Thomain
8 Booster Winner (FR) – Matthieu Mottier
9 Valko Jenilat (FR) – Eric Raffin
10 Readly Express (SE) – Bjørn Goop
11 Belina Josselyn (FR) – Jean Michel Bazire
12 Lionel (NO) – Gøran Antonsen
13 Wild Honey (US) – Ôrjan Kihlström
14 Bird Parker (FR) – Jean Philippe Monclin
15 Bold Eagle (FR) – Franck Nivard