With Liza Josselyn winning the Criterium Continental for 4‑year‑olds and Epic Kronos taking the 5‑year‑olds’ Prix Tenor de Baune on Sunday afternoon at Vincennes, both horses earned a wild card for the 2026 Prix d’Amérique.
But even though Liza Josselyn’s pedigree practically screams Prix d’Amérique — both her sire, Ready Cash, and her dam, Belina Josselyn, have won the race — she will not line up for the big event in about a month.
“It’s too early for her,” said Jean‑Michel Bazire, who drove her to victory in the Criterium Continental, equaling the world record for 4‑year‑old mares over 2,100 meters (1 mile 5/16) in 1:52.3 (mile rate).
The Swedish trotter Epic Kronos, trained by Daniel Redén and driven by Frenchman Paul Philippe Ploquin, is ready for the Prix d’Amérique. The 5‑year‑old son of Muscle Hill thrives at Vincennes, where he also won another Group 1 race, the Grand Prix de l’UET, as a 4‑year‑old.
Epic Kronos captured the Prix Tenor de Baune over the same distance as the Prix d’Amérique — 2,700 meters (1-11/16 miles) — in a new race record of 1:54.1 (mile rate), beating the previous mark held by Idao de Tillard at 1:54.3.
With Liza Josselyn’s withdrawal, there are now nine open spots for the Prix d’Amérique. Eight of them will be contested in the Prix de Bourgogne this Sunday (Dec. 28) and the Prix de Belgique on Jan. 11 at Vincennes. The top four finishers in each race earn wild cards for the Prix d’Amérique.
The final spot goes to the horse with the highest career earnings that has not yet qualified. At the moment, that is the French horse Go On Boy — but he is set to start in the Prix de Bourgogne on Sunday.