by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The 10-year-old Meaulnes du Corta, driven by Pierre Levesque, won the second leg of the European Grand Circuit Series, The Grand Criterium de Vitesse, at Cagnes sur Mer in southern France.

The Grand Criterium de Vitesse is one of very, very few races over the mile in France, where trotting races are normally contested over the 1-3/4 mile distance.

Gerard Forni photo

Meaulnes du Corta was a winner in the Grand Criterium de Vitesse.

Meaulnes du Corta, with trainer/driver Levesque, went to post as the even money favorite and fulfilled the expectations to win in 1:54.1. A fast finishing Brioni — a German trotter trained in Sweden and a 32-1 shot — driven by Joakim Lövgren, came close at the finish. The French mare Priscilla Blue, with Luis Baudron, also finished strongly to take third, while Nouba du Saptel with Jos. Verbeeck never got any racing room down the stretch and finished fourth. She was the second favorite in the betting.

Lou Guida-owned Italian trotter Lisa America, with Jorma Kontio in the bike, got an unlucky trip and found racing room too late as she finished sixth.

This was the second time in a row that Meaulnes du Corta won the Grand Criterium, which carries a purse for the winner of $137,500.

Meaulnes du Corta will now go back to stud. He stands for around $7,500; this is in the lower end for stud fees in France. His first crop are 4-year-olds this year and so far none of them has shown anything special.

There is still speculation about him racing internationally, as Levesque told French journalists after the race that if the horse is still fit, he would love to race him abroad.