by Thomas Hedlund

The Paris winter meeting, where Vincennes will offer races several days per week until late February, took its start on Wednesday (Nov. 3) afternoon and a big milestone was hit by France’s leading trainer and driver Jean-Michel Bazire.

Bazire has more or less dominated the sport in his home country for more than 20 years and he is multi-talented as a driver. On Wednesday’s card, Bazire collected his 6,000th sulky win by driving 2-year-old Jourdam Seven (Bird Parker) to victory.

Bazire has claimed wins in the Elitloppet (twice), Prix d’Amérique (four times), Prix de France (four times), Prix de Paris (seven times) and has many other big wins.

The opening day of the meeting featured the $105,000 Prix des Cevennes for older trotters and Alain Laurent’s mare Chica de Joudes (Jag de Bellouet) upset from the lead and came home in a mile rate of 2:00.4 over 1.7 miles.

Breeders Crown finals close the stakes season in Sweden

This Sunday (Nov. 7), Eskilstuna racetrack in Sweden plays host to the four finals of Breeders Crown in Sweden and the purse in each division is $373,000 (horses bred outside of Sweden races for half that purse).

The Breeders Crown counts as the last of the really big races in Sweden this year and the four fields are truly spectacular. Even with dominant 4-year-old Calgary Games absent, the races are shaping up to be thrilling.

The 3-year-old colts and geldings are first out and Kriteriet winner Francesco Zet solved his elimination at Solvalla on Oct. 24 quite safely, even if he got some tough resistance from Jörgen Westholm’s Global Concept, who was more than brave after a first over trip in high pace. An interesting race with several horses that can go all the way, which is the fact for all four finals.

BC 3-year-old colts and geldings

Post – Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Aquarius Face – Mosaique Face – Adrian Kolgjini
2. Global Cashflow – Ready Cash – Ulf Ohlsson
3. Ninepoints Lasse – Uncle Lasse – Björn Goop
4. Francesco Zet – Father Patrick – Örjan Kihlström
5. Dozen of Oysters – Zola Boko – Claes Sjöström
6. Global Concept – Charly du Noyer – Jörgen Westholm
7. Donizietti – Maharajah – Kevin Oscarsson
8. Immanuel K. – Sebastian K. – Daniel Wäjersten
9. Sorire Frö – Wishing Stone – Torbjörn Jansson
10. Indy Rock – Readly Express – Johan Untersteiner
11. Henessi Walk – Walk The Walk – Hanna Olofsson
12. The Oak L.A. – The Bank – Jorma Kontio

BC 3-year-old fillies

Post – Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Breeze – Boad Bahn – Claes Sjöström
2. Glamorous Rain – Muscle Hill – Örjan Kihlström
3. Red Lady Express – Readly Express – Björn Goop
4. Isabelle Cash – Ready Cash – Carl Johan Jepson
5. Rihanna W.I. – S.J.’s Caviar – Jorma Kontio
6. Black Magic Eyes – Magic Tonight – Johan Untersteiner
7. Lara Boko – Djali Boko – Mika Forss
8. Honey Adore – Canepa Hanover – Per Lennartsson
9. Imhatra Am – Muscle Hill – Mats E Djuse
10. A Perfect Face – Classic Photo – Adrian Kolgjini
11. Lacille Boko – Readly Express – Ulf Ohlsson
12. Identity – Maharajah – Magnus A Djuse

BC 4-year-old mares

Post – Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Hall Of Am – Muscle Hill – Magnus A Djuse
2. Honey Mearas – Readly Express – Örjan Kihlström
3. Loaded Maria – Trixton – Markus B Svedberg
4. Fifty Cent Piece* – Muscle Hill – Robert Bergh
5. Woodbury Wine – Father Patrick – Johan Untersteiner
6. Hoboken Am – Muscle Hill – Ulf Ohlsson
7. Chablis Ribb – Raja Mirchi – Erik Adielsson
8. Modern Times – Muscle Hill – Kenneth Haugstad
9. Nikita Sunrise – Maharajah – Mats E Djuse
10. Bahama Passion – Googoo Gaagaa – Mikael J Andersson
11. Sayonara – Donato Hanover – Carl Johan Jepson
12. M.T.Perette – The Bank – Mattias Djuse

BC 4-year-old colts and geldings

Post – Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Titan Yoda – Ready Cash – Ulf Ohlsson
2. Mister Hercules – Trixton – Örjan Kihlström
3. Önas Prince – Chocolatier – Per Nordström
4. San Moteur – Panne de Moteur – Björn Goop
5. Sidney Celeber – Readly Express – Kim Eriksson
6. Furies Rain – Muscle Hill – Johan Untersteiner
7. Billions – Father Patrick – Carl Johan Jepson
8. Maesteraemon* – Andover Hall – Magnus A Djuse
9. Dollar Doc – Ready Cash – Jorma Kontio
10. Elegant Ima – Maharajah – Magnus Teien Gundersen
11. Epimetheus – Hard Livin – Per Lennartsson
12. A Good Point – Maharajah – Stefan Persson

Sunday’s race card at Eskilstuna is available here.