by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

French trotting’s ”grand old lady,” Nouba du Saptel, seems to like mile races, but there are not many of them in France. There might be no more than ten mile races at the most in France every year for open class trotters. On Saturday, July 3, a mile race — The Prix de Washington — was programmed at Enghien, the 13/16th-mile track in the outskirts of Paris.

Only nine trotters were behind the gate and the 9-year old mare Nouba du Saptel, driven by Yves Dreux, was the even money favorite. Nouba du Saptel had won just one race earlier this year — also a mile race — in the province.

Dreux gave his mare a good trip and down the stretch he made his move. Nouba du Saptel responded eagerly and had no problem in getting past Nelumbo, driven by Franck Blanding, who made a brave effort as he trotted most of the race without cover. A fast finishing Prodigious, driven by Julien Dubois, took third.

On a sloppy track Nouba du Saptel was timed in 1:54; the race record is 1:52 set by Meaulnes du Corta a couple of years ago. The purse for Nouba du Saptel was $70,000 and she now has lifetime earnings of $1.9 million. She has raced 90 times and won 20 races.

On the same card, some of the best French 3-year-old trotters met in the Prix de Berlin over the 1-5/16th mile distance. The Best Madrik, driven by his trainer Jean Etienne Dubois, was the heavy favorite and was an easy winner in 2:03.3 (mile rate). He is sired by the French champion sire Coktail Jet.

Another 3-year-old son of Coktail Jet, Amaru Boko, made headlines in Sweden on Saturday afternoon by winning the E3 final over the 1-5/16th mile distance in a new Swedish record of 1:57.2f (mile rate).

Amaru Boko is trained by Timo Nurmos and had Jorma Kontio in the bike. The purse for the winner was $105,000. Amaru Boko has raced just seven times and has five wins, one second and one third place.

His dam is Sue Boko, who is sired by Yankee Glide and out of Chipping Away, she by Pine Chip. Sue Boko was sold at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale in 2001 under the name Undergraduate for $30,000 to the Dutch/Swedish farm, Boko.

Sue Boko was a good racehorse, who took a mark of 1:56.2f and earned $110,000. Amaru Boko is her first foal who has raced; a full sister to Amaru Boko, born in 2006, died.