by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Bold Eagle, with Franck Nivard in the bike, was an easy winner of the European Trotting Derby, the Grand Prix de l’UET, raced Sunday afternoon (Oct. 18) at Victoria Park in The Netherlands.

Bold Eagle was in command from the start and seemed to be in a class of his own, winning the 1-5/16th mile event by open lengths in a new track record of 1:55.4f (mile rate).

Bold Eagle is trained by Sebastian Guarato, who also trains Billie de Montfort, who finished second in the race.

The purse for the winner was $200,000.

“Bold Eagle is the best trotter I ever have raced,” Franck Nivard said after the race.

Big words for the driver of Ready Cash, twice the winner of the Prix d’Amerique and the sire of Bold Eagle.

The next big target for Bold Eagle is the 2016 Prix d’Amerique.