by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Jean Michel Bazire — the leading trainer-driver in France — will be out of action for six months after an accident Thursday afternoon (Feb. 3) at Vincennes.

The incident happened just after the start to the fourth race, where Bazire fell off the sulky, but as the horse’s tail was fastened to the sulky, he was trapped between the horse and the sulky. However, he managed to stop the horse, but then fainted.

Bazire has broken his leg in two places; one is an open fracture and it will take up to six months before he’ll be back in the sulky again.