by Karsten Bønsdorf

Kentucky Futurity-winner Wishing Stone won the prestigious French trotting race, Grand Prix du Suid Ouest Sunday afternoon over 1-5/16 mile at Toulouse in Southern France.

Gerard Forni photo

Wishing Stone wins the Grand Prix du Sud Ouest at Toulouse.

This was the third race on European soil for Wishing Stone this year, who this time had the leading French driver Franck Nivard in the bike.

From post position 7 Nivard directed Wishing Stone to the front after 200 yards, and from that position Nivard controlled the race.

Down the stretch Wishing Stone drifted badly to the outside, but still managed to keep the tuff mare, Nouba du Saptel behind him to win by three-quarters of a length in 2.00.4 (mile rate) – Nouba du Saptel was second, while Nimrod Borealis, who won the race last year, was third at the finish, but was later disqualified for making a break in the early stages of the race.

For the first time in Europe Wishing Stone raced without shoes, and it was also the first time that he raced on a right handed track, and that could be the reason why he drifted so badly at the end.

The purse for the winner was $115,000.

Wishing Stone will probably race next in a month in Sweden – that’ll be the elimination for the Kings Trophy at Aby in Gothenburg – an International race for 4-year-old trotters.