Five-year-old Frank Gio, driven by Matthieu Abrivard, won the Group 2 Prix Marcel Laurent at Vincennes on Thursday afternoon (Nov. 12).
The race, contested by 4- and 5-year-old trotters over 1-5/16 miles, has often provided a good indication of the outcome of the Prix d’Amérique just under three months later.
Over the past 50 years, 12 winners of the Prix Marcel Laurent have gone on to win the Prix d’Amérique.
Frank Gio could become the 13th horse to accomplish that feat.
Sébastien Guarato trains the son of Face Time Bourbon and Matthieu Abrivard gave him a smooth trip with cover in the second-over position until the stretch, where he tipped Frank Gio out to challenge and drew clear for an easy victory in a mile rate of 1:53.4.
France’s Lombok Jiel, driven by Pierre-Yves Verva and also a 5-year-old, finished two lengths behind in second. Four-year-old Madrid Haufor, with Damien Bonné, closed strongly to take third.
Frank Gio earned €54,000 for the win. He arrived in Paris after winning the UET Elite Trophy in Turin a month earlier.
Frank Gio’s next start could be the Prix de Bretagne, the first qualifying race for the Prix d’Amérique, scheduled for November 22 at Vincennes.