by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

The draw for the upcoming Grand Prix de France on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 14) at Vincennes was made today on the French racing channel Equidia.

The draw unfolded and the excitement grew as no post was assigned to the heavy favorite Bold Eagle, until two horses were left in the draw — the Italian trotter Pascia Lest and Boild Eagle. And the post positions left were No. 2 and No. 8.

Pascia Lest was drawn the first of the two and got the two hole. So Bold Eagle had to have the eight. That is outside the second favorite, Timoko with Bjorn Goop, who got No. 7.

A field of 16 trotters — bred in five different countries — will race in the Grand Prix de France. The distance is 1-5/16th miles and the total purse is $450,000.

Here is the start list:
1. Tiego d’Etang (FR) – Charles Bigeon
2. Pascia Lest (IT) – Roberto Andreghetti
3. Univers de Pan (FR) – Phillippe Daugeard
4. Voltigeur de Myrt (FR) – Gabrielle Gelormini
5. Kadett CD (SE) – Robert Bergh
6. Oasis Bi (IT) – Franck Ouvrie
7. Timoko (FR) – Bjørn Goop
8. Bold Eagle (FR) – Franck Nivard
9. Un Mec d’Heripre (FR) – Jean Michel Bazire
10. Solea Rivelliere (FR) – Sebastian Olivier
11. Lionel (NO) – Ôrjan Kihlström
12. Vanity Matters (US) – Pierre Levesque
13. Anna Mix (FR) – Pierre Vercruysse
14. Bird Parker (FR) – Jean Pierre Monclin
15. Trebol (ES) – G A Pou Pou
16. Vaillant Cash (FR) – David Thomain