by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The two-time winner of the Prix d’Amerique, Ready Cash, is favored to win the French marathon race Prix de Paris over 4,150 meters (or approximately 2-5/8th miles) at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 26).

This will be the first time Ready Cash will race over such an extreme distance. Ready Cash will have the services of Franck Nivard, who can win his 25th Group One race. A field of 15 trotters will go to the post and the purse for the winner is $260,000. The race record is 1:59 (mile rate).

Not since Bellino II in 1977 has a trotter won the double — Prix d’Amerique and Prix de Paris — in the same year.

In other news, the Swedish trotter Commander Crowe, who finished third in the Breeders Crown behind San Pail and Rapide Lebel, returned to action earlier this week.

His French trainer, Fabrice Souloy, found an easy task for the 9-year-old chestnut trotter in Belgium and Commander Crowe, with Christophe Martens in the bike, fulfilled the expectations and won easily.

His next race might be on March 3 at Vincennes, where Rapide Lebel might also be entered for his season’s debut.