by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Maven and Yannick Gingras will race from post position seven in the Prix de Bourgogne at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 28).

Gerard Forni photo

Maven has settled in fine at the Chamant Training Center after she arrived last Saturday.

A field of 18 trotters will compete in this third test race for the Prix d’Amerique. Nine trotters will start from the first tier and nine from the second tier. In France the nine trotters with the most money won drew for the first tier and the rest drew for the second tier.

The distance for the race is 1-5/16 miles and that is a little bit more than the oval at Vincennes, which is 1975 meters or approximately 1-1/4 miles.

Maven has settled in fine at the Chamant Training Center after she arrived last Saturday. Chamant is situated a little bit more than an hours drive from Vincennes, depending on traffic.

This will be the first time that Yannick Gingras will race in France.

It is very difficult to handicap Maven in this field. The distance and the track are new for her.

The two-time winner of the Prix d’Amerique, Ready Cash, needs to earn at least 31,000 Euro to qualify for the Prix d’Amerique.
The rules for the Prix d’Amerique state that a trotter must have earned 31,000 Euro from Jan. 1, 2014 and have raced after Oct. 1.

Ready Cash was officially retired from racing in February, but made a comeback earlier this month and is aimed for the Prix d’Amerique. I think he will be one to follow this Sunday. However, the likely favorite is Texas Charm followed by Up and Quick.

The total purse is 120,000 Euro or $165,000.

Here is the start list:

1. Up and Quick (FR) – Pierre Vercruysse
2. Severino (FR) – David Bonne
3. Timoko (FR) – Björn Goop
4. Uhlan du Val (FR) – Cedric Megissier
5. Tiego d’Etang (FR) – Charles Bigeon
6. Texas Charm (FR) – Julien Dubois
7. Maven (US) – Yannick Gingras
8. Ready Cash (FR) – Franck Nivard
9. Roxane Griff (FR) – Eric Raffin
10. Kadett CD (SE) – Dominik Locqueneux
11. Viscaria (FR) – Guillaume Gillot
12. Soleil de Foss (FR) – Thierry Duvaldestin
13. Mosaique Face (SE) – Lutfi Kolgjini
14. Viking du Val (FR) – Eric Lambertz
15. Amour d’Occagnes (NL) – Mathieu Abrivard
16. Talicia Belle (FR) – Anthony Barrier
17. Solvato (US) – Ôrjan Kilhström
18. Oibambam Effe (IT) – Salvatore Carro