by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The Prix de France, to be raced Sunday afternoon (Feb. 14) at Vincennes is supposed to be a chance for revenge from the Prix d’Amerique, but unfortunately the winner Oyonnax is not in the field.

The Prix de France is the first race in the 2010 European Grand Circuit series and normally it’s a rematch from the Prix d’Amerique. Unfortunately this year’s surprise winner of the Prix d’Amerique, Oyonnax, is absent as his connections want to race him in the Prix de Paris next week.

Last year Meaulnes du Corta made it a Prix d’Amerique/Prix de France double; that was not done since Moni Maker did it in 1999.

It is also very seldom that a trotter wins the Prix de France in two consecutive years; within the last 30 years only the great Ourasi and Naglo have done it.

But Meaulnes du Corta, with his trainer/driver Pierre Levesque, is favored to win the race Sunday afternoon. The 10-year-old trotter, who finished third in the Prix d’Amerique, had a lucky draw and got post position three behind the gate in the 1-5/16th mile event, which carries a purse of $525,000.

Here are the starters:

1. Orlando Sport-Sebastian Baude
2. Paradis Corbiere-J. L. Labigne
3. Meaulnes du Corta-Pierre Levesque
4. Premiere Steed-Franck Nivard
5. Rolling d’Heripre-Jean Michel Bazire
6. Nouba du Saptel-Yves Dreux
7. Opal Viking-Jorma Kontio
8. Quaker Jet-Pierre Vercruysse
9. Niky-Mathieu Abrivard