by Thomas Hedlund

Sébastien Guarato-trained Face Time Bourbon is gearing up for a new victory in Prix d’Amérique in January and on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 29), the 5-year-old son of Ready Cash impressed in the Criterium for 5-year-olds.

Björn Goop left Sweden for a day in Paris to drive Face Time Bourbon in the 3,000 meter long Criterium. But 1.9 miles also means that many things can happen during the journey towards the wire and even though Face Time Bourbon opened pretty quickly from position far outside of the wide track at Vincennes, Goop couldn’t place his horse in the front of the field directly after start. Instead, Face Time Bourbon successively had to climb three wide towards the front and after 5/8ths of a mile, the champion trotter landed in position first over. Soon thereafter opponents attacked three wide and Goop had to make another move midway through the race. With 1,200 meters to go, leader Falcao de Laurma yielded the front position in favor for the race’s big star and Björn Goop didn’t jeopardize anything. He let Face Time Bourbon sprint away from the rest of the field and it was one horse at the track during the home stretch.

This was Face Time Bourbon’s 22nd win in 26 attempts and there is no doubt about who is the early favorite for the 2021 Prix d’Amérique.

The mile rate over the heavy distance was 1:55.4.

The Criterium des 5 ans was not the only Group 1 race during the race card at Vincennes on Saturday afternoon. Another Criterium, the one for 4-year-olds was held for a purse of $202,000. Favorite Gu d’Heripre had to trot outside of leader Go On Boy (Password) and couldn’t challenge for the win in the race’s last part. Criterium des 3 ans winner Gunilla d’Atout tried to attack in the home stretch, but leader Go On Boy and driver Romain Deriux had it all under control. Deriux is known as the trainer and driver of Elitloppet winner Dijon and Go On Boy can very well be his next international star trotter. The mile rate over 1.6 miles was 1:56.4.

In the $178,000 Yearling Cup for 3-year-old trotters, Philippe Allaire trained Heaven’s Pride, driven by David Thomain, came to the lead midway through the race and held attacking Hades de Vandel behind him in the finish. The mile rate was 1:59.4 over 1.6 miles.

Milligan’s School again in Sundsvall

The $208,000 Sundsvall Open Trot for elite trotters was held at Bergsåker Racetrack in Sweden on Saturday afternoon and, in a sense, it was a rerun from 2018 year’s edition.

Stefan Melander trained Milligan’s School (Yankee Glide) battles among the best horses in the toughest races throughout every season and the 7-year-old colt is performing at a high level almost every time he enters a track.

In 2018, he won the Sundsvall Open Trot paired with Ulf Eriksson and when this year’s edition was under way, Milligan’s School managed to keep the lead from post 1, which made the path to victory easier. Ulf Eriksson did everything right in the sulky. The pace was not too high the first kilometer, but still, the horses in the back of the field had to do heavy job three wide during the last lap of the 1.3 miles long race and it was pretty clear that the leader had great control of the field in the last turn. Sorbet, who was served a trip behind the leader, got his chance to challenge already with a quarter of a mile to go, but Milligan’s School had a lot of power to give and Ulf Eriksson could note that he was alone and heading for the victory with 100 meters to go.

The Melander owned and trained trotter came home in mile rate of 1:53.3 and Sorbet, who finished as runner up behind Milligan’s School in 2018 year’s edition, followed as second ahead of quick finishing Who’s Who.

Eenymeenyminymoe in Danish Derby for mares

The $106,500 Derby for mares in Denmark was on the race card at Charlottenlund racetrack in Copenhagen on Saturday afternoon and Flemming Jensen trained Eenymeenyminymoe (Västerbo Prestige) had no problem in claiming the trophy from the lead in mile rate 1:59 over 1.3 miles.

Eenymeenyminymoe has been the queen of the crop since last summer and to date she has nine wins in 20 starts.

Eenymeenyminymoe’s father Västerbo Prestige has another shot in a Derby today (Aug. 30), since his son Empire is the probable first choice in the $182,000 Derby for 4-year-olds.

Swedish sale grosses $3.5 million

The Sweden International Yearling Sale was surrounded by technical problems ahead of Thursday night’s (Aug. 27) closing of the event, but overall, the sale went well when it was time for buyers to place their bids on the 140 trotters in the catalogue.

Eighty yearlings were sold for a total price of $3,481,013 and an average price of $43,512, which was an increase by $1,030 since last year’s sale.

Sire Ready Cash had the two most expensive trotters sold at the sale and Windmill Jam (out of Swiss Account) sold for 2,000,000 SEK (approximately $229,315) while On The Move (out of Moving On) landed on 1,600,000 SEK, $183,450.

Average prices (Sires)

Sire (Horses sold) – Total price in USD – Average price in USD

Ready Cash (2) – $412,768 – $206,384
Muscle Hill (1) – $97,459 – $97,459
Walner (5) – $450,605 – $90,121
Father Patrick (9) – $511,374 – $56,819
Propulsion (10) – $509,080 – $50,908
Bold Eagle (4) – $194,918 – $48,924
Resolve (1) – $48,156 – $48,156
Southwind Frank (5) – $238,488 – $47,936
Trixton (4) – $169,693 – $42,423
Nuncio (6) – $217,849 – $36,308
E L Titan (1) – $34,397 – $34,397
Up And Quick (1) – $34,397 – $34,397
Readly Express (2) – $65,354 – $32,677
Brilliantissime (1) – $32,104 – $32,104
Love You (2) – $64,208 – $32,104
Maharajah (4) – $107,778 – $27,052
S.J.’s Caviar (2) – $48,156 – 424,078
Canepa Hanover (1) – $21,785 – $21,785
Donato Hanover (1) – $20,638 – $20,638
Raja Mirchi (2) – $36,690 – $18,345
Varenne (1) – $18,345 – $18,345
Timoko (1) – $17,198 – $17,198
Broadway Hall (1) – $16,052 – $16,052
Magic Tonight (1) – $16,052 – $16,052
Classic Photo (1) – $12,612 – $12,612
Brioni (1) – $11,465 – $11,465
Django Riff (1) – $10,319 – $10,319
Tobin Kronos (2) – $20,638 – $10,319
Villiam (1) – $10,319 – $10,319
Bird Parker (3) – $29,811 – $9,937
Quite Easy (1) – $9,172 – $9,172
Creatine (1) – $6,879 – $6,879
El Mago Pellini (1) – $6,879 – $6,879