by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Sunday (Jan. 28) at 10:05 a.m. (EST) 18 of the world’s best trotters will race in the prestigious Grand Prix d’Amerique at Vincennes, France. The total purse is $1.2 million and the winner’s share is $560,000.
The French champion Bold Eagle, driven by Franck Nivard, is aiming to win his third in a row, but competition is stronger this year and after being winless in his last four races, Bold Eagle is not going to be the heavy favorite.
His opponents include the two Swedish trained trotters, Propulsion (driven by Ôrjan Kihlström) and Readly Express (driven by Björn Goop).
North American-bred Propulsion has not raced since New Year’s Eve, but has trained very convincingly at the historic Chamant training center, where legendary Charlie Mills used to prepare his stable for the big races.
Swedish-bred Readly Express has raced three times at Vincennes and has two wins and a third place, just beaten less than a length by Bird Parker and Bold Eagle in the Prix de Belgique, the last qualifying race for the Prix d’Amerique.
A total of 10 of the 18 entrants were born in France, four are from Italy, two from the United States and one each from Sweden and Norway. But the 18 horses are either trained in France (11) or in Sweden (7), so in a way it’s a duel between the two biggest harness racing nations in Europe.
Ready Cash has four sons in the field and Love You is the only other stallion with more than one offspring in the race.
Top French trainer Sebastian Guarato sends five trotters out while Daniel Redén of Sweden has three and Phillippe Allaire of France has two.
The start list follows (horse, sire, driver, trainer, country).
1. Tony Gio (Varenne)-Christophe Martens–Vincent Martens-France
2. Briac Dark (Prince Gedé)-Matthieu Abrivard–Thiery Duvaldestin-France
3. Charly du Noyer (Ready Cash)-Yoann Lebourgeois–Philippe Allaire-France
4. Carat Williams (Prodigious)-David Thomain–Sebastien Guarato-France
5. Ringostarr Treb (Classic Photo)-Gabriele Gelormini-Jerry Riordan-Sweden
6. Booster Winner (Love You)-Matthieu Mottier–Sebastien Guarato-France
7. Valko Jenilat (Kepler)-Eric Raffin–Sebastien Guarato-France
8. Readly Express (Ready Cash)-Björn Goop–Timo Nurmos-Sweden
9. Belina Josselyn (Love You)-Jean Michel Bazire–Jean Michel Bazire-France
10. Propulsion (Muscle Hill)-Örjan Kihlström–Daniel Redén-Sweden
11. Timone Ek (Mr Vic)-Enrico Bellei–Philippe Billard-France
12. Lionel (Look de Star)-Göran Antonsen–Daniel Redén-Sweden
13. Voltigeur de Myrt (Opus Viervil)-Lorenzo Donati–Roberto Donati-France
14. Wild Honey (Cantab Hall)-Daniel Olsson–Daniel Redén-Sweden
15. Billie de Montfort (Jasmin de Flore)-Alexandre Abrivard–Sebastien Guarato-France
16. Bird Parker (Ready Cash)-Jean-Philippe Monclin–Philippe Allaire-France
17. Oasis Bi (Toss Out)-Pierre Vercruysse–Stefan P. Pettersson-Sweden
18. Bold Eagle (Ready Cash)-Franck Nivard–Sebastien Guarato-France