by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent

The defending champion Bold Eagle was an easy winner of the second test race for the 2017 Prix d’Amerique, the Prix du Bourbonnais, at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 11).

Gerard Forni photo

Bold Eagle won the Prix du Bourbonnais on Sunday.

Normally we have seen Bold Eagle as the leader or co-leader in a race, but Sunday afternoon Franck Nivard opted for another tactic. He took an easy start with the 5-year-old trotter and later found a spot in sixth on the outside.

Nivard waited until the stretch to make his move and then he took Bold Eagle to the outside. Bold Eagle went past the leaders and won by two lengths in 1:57.1 (mile rate) followed by Lionel (driven by Matthieu Abrivard) and Voltigeur du Myrt (with Lorenzo Donati).

These three trotters each earned a spot in the Prix d’Amerique.

Bold Eagle picked up a check for $57,000.

However, the main event of the day was the Criterium des 3 Ans, the biggest race in France for 3-year-old trotters with a total purse of $250,000.

Django Riff — like Bold Eagle sired by Ready Cash — was the heavy favorite, but had to settle for second, beaten by 25-1 Diego du Guelier, driven by Matthieu Mottier.

The best 4-year-old trotters met in the Prix Octave Douesnel with a total purse of $125,000 and Charley du Noyer (another son to Ready Cash) was the horse to beat. In fact, that happened as a very brave Carat Williams, driven by David Thomain, despite making a break from the start, was able to take down the favorite down the stretch to win by one length.