Davidson du Pont is ready for the Prix d’Amérique
by Thomas Hedlund
Jean-Michel Bazire-trained Davidson du Pont (Pacha du Pont), who finished fourth in the previous B-race ($135,000 Prix de Bourgogne over 1.3 miles), showed great form when he disarmed Delia du Pommereux just ahead of the wire in Sunday’s (Jan. 17) $135,000 Prix de Belgique over 2,850 meters (approximately 1.8 miles) at Vincennes.
Bazire gave his 8-year-old colt a perfect cover trip and Davidson du Pont’s ability to finish quickly with that kind of conditions was proven when Bazire gave his horse full attack order in mid home stretch. At that point, Delia du Pommereux had taken the lead from Moni Viking and seemed to cruise to victory, but Davidson du Pont showed that longer distances than 1.3 miles might suit him better. This will be a year when owner Ecurie Albert Rayon’s yellow, green and red colors once again will be a sharp factor in Prix d’Amérique. Davidson du Pont was close to victory in last year’s edition of Prix d’Amérique, but a sharp finish from Face Time Bourbon resulted in a silver medal and there’s reasons to believe that Davidson du Pont have great chances for revenge on Jan. 31.
Delia du Pommereux finished second ahead of Moni Viking and they were both already qualified for the Prix d’Amérique. Delia du Pommereux was third behind Face Time Bourbon and Vivid Wise As in the Prix du Bourgogne, while Moni Viking was third behind Face Time Bourbon and Victor Ferm in Prix du Bourbonnais.
The mile rate of 1:55.4 was a stakes record and Bazire has a great shot in grabbing his third win as a trainer in the Prix d’Amérique. His first victory came in 2004 behind Kesaco Phedo and his second in 2019 with Belina Josselyn. His first driving win in the race came in 1999, when he got the opportunity to drive Jimmy Takter’s super mare Moni Maker.
Horses ready for Prix d’Amérique 2021
Prix d’Amérique qualifiers from previous races:
Prix de Bretagne: Diable de Vauvert, Feliciano, Bahia Quesnot
Prix du Bourbonnais: Face Time Bourbon, Victor Ferm, Moni Viking
Prix Tenor de Baune: Feerie Wood
Criterium Continental: Gu d’Heripre
Prix de Bourgogne: Face Time Bourbon, Vivid Wise As, Delia du Pommereux
Prix de Belgique: Davidson du Pont, Delia du Pommereux, Moni Viking
In The Money claimed big win
Thierry Duvaldestin-trained In The Money (Cristal Money) hit the lead with a little less than a kilometer to go in Sunday’s $121,000 Prix Maurice de Gheest for 3-year-old colts at Vincennes.
First choice Italiano Vero went off stride shortly before that point and In The Money proved hard to beat from the lead. He came home in stakes record mile rate 2:01.1 over 1.6 miles and Thierry Duvaldestin knows how to produce champion trotters in France. In The Money’s father Cristal Money (Coktail Jet) is just one out of many star trotters that come from Duvaldestin’s barn and Cristal Money was one of the best horses in the French C-crop. His biggest triumph came in $290,000 Prix de l’Etoile in 2015.
