by Thomas Hedlund

The French winter meeting in Paris is running in high speed and it’s already time for the first B-race, which offers four spots in January’s Prix d’Amérique at Vincennes.

And in Sunday’s (Nov. 17) $125,000 Prix de Bretagne over 2,700 meters, some of the very best French trotters are missing, due to different reasons. Horsy Dream and Idao de Tillard dominated many of the biggest races in Europe earlier this season, but they are both waiting for better days. Idao de Tillard was sick (throat problems) in his last performance at Vincennes and trainer Thierry Duvaldestin has announced that his horse will be aimed towards the $125,000 Prix du Bourbonnais on Dec. 8.

There are obviously some well merited trotters entering Sunday’s race at Vincennes and it looks like Swedish top trotters San Moteur and Don Fanucci Zet will battle against strong French horses like Just A Gigolo, Emeraude de Bais, Hooker Berry and Hussard du Landret.

Four spots in the Prix d’Amérique are at stake and the probable favorite in the first B-race is San Moteur, who qualified for the 2024 Prix d’Amérique, but got sick and had to stay in his barn.

GOCCIADORO – WHO ELSE?

Montegiorgio, located on Italy’s east coast played host to the traditional $140,000 Gran Premio Palio de Comuni on Sunday (Nov. 10) night and as so many times before when it comes to big races in general and Italian big races in particular, Alessandro Gocciadoro dominated the event.

Gocciadoro steered Dany Capar (Exploit Caf) to victory in one of three elimination heats and he also sat in the bike behind the same horse in the final later that same night.

Dany Capar hit the lead, which meant that Gocciadoro had great control of the final and as it turned out, the only threat was pocket horse Akela Pal Ferm, who finished quickly in the open stretch on the half mile track. But Akela Pal Ferm never got seriously close to the leading winner and Dany Capar captured his biggest trophy so far in his career in 1:56.

Replay here.

CREDIT WINNER DAUGHTER BEST IN DENMARK

Charlottenlund in Copenhagen, Denmark gathered the best 2-year-old trotters in the country when the $95,000 Dansk Uppfödningslöpning was on Sunday’s (Nov 10) race card and it ended with success for American sire Credit Winner.

Denmark’s long time champion trainer and driver Steen Juul served his Lets Go Ostedantik (Credit Winner) a ground saving trip in second over and Juul could wait with the attack until 350 meters remained in the race. Lets Go Ostedantik finished well and disarmed the inside horses mid-stretch and she also showed bravery when she held quick finisher Lee Marwin behind her at the wire.

Lets Go Ostedantik has started her career showing promise with four wins in six attempts and Sunday’s triumph was made in a mile rate of 2:02.2 over 1.3 miles.

JUSHUA TREE GETS CLOSER TO THE BIG GRAND PRIX

Nicolas Bazire (his father Jean-Michel has handed over all horses in the stable to Nicolas) trainee Jushua Tree (Bold Eagle) was named as one of the biggest favorites before the 2024 Prix d’Amérique, but the horse’s connections opted to wait one year before battling among older trotters in France’s biggest race. And in Saturday’s (Nov. 9) $125,000 Prix Marcel Laurent for 4- and 5-year-old trotters, Bazire’s star showed that he very well might be in the right condition for PdA 2025.

Jean-Michel sat in the bike behind Jushua Tree and after an initial kilometer outside of leader Dimitri Ferm, Jean-Michel asked for some more power and he got the right answer from Jushua Tree, who overtook the lead in the uphill part of Vincennes’ track and he later jogged to a safe win in a mile rate of 1:54 over 1.3 miles.

Replay here.

Italian Derby winner Dimitri Ferm looked for racing room as runner up and bronze medal went to Jazzman Debailleul.

Earlier the same day at Vincennes, the $100,000 Prix du Languedoc was held and Eric Raffin sat behind It’s A Dollarmaker (Saxo de Vandel), who was pushed to the lead with a mile remaining in the 2,850 meter long race. It’s A Dollarmaker and Raffin then made it difficult for the favorites further back in the field and Sébastien Guarato’s horse in front could sprint to safe win in a mile rate of 1:56 over 1.7 miles.

HOHNECK IN WOLVEGA

The purse is not so high, but still, the $70,000 Prijs Der Giganten in Wolvega, The Netherlands, is by tradition a prestigious and sprightly contribution to the European Grand Circuit. The race was held on Friday (Nov. 8) night and it’s pretty clear that Philippe Allaire’s Hohneck (Royal Dream) masters five-eighths-mile tracks very well. Hohneck won, as known, 2023 Elitloppet at Solvalla and he has shown several times that the long and demanding track of Vincennes is just too much for him as he gets older. 

In Wolvega, Hohneck had to go the dirty job outside of leader Hades de Vandel during the last remaining kilometer, but that didn’t bother him and Hohneck left the opponents at the home stretch and hit the wire as a winner in a new stakes record 1:54.3 over 1.3 miles.

Replay here.

Global Duhbe finished second ahead of Hades de Vandel.

Hohneck’s trainer Allaire can look forward to an exciting weekend in Italy this week. On Sunday (Nov. 17), 2-year-old trotters will battle for $220,000 in the Finale Anact Stakes Plus, where Gabriele Gelormini will steer Allaire’s Ginostrabliggi (Muscle Hill), who won a qualification for the Anact Stakes in 1:55.3, the fastest time ever by a 2-year-old horse in Europe.

THE END OF THE SEASON IS NEAR

Sweden’s stakes season is coming to an end, but first, four divisions of the $320,000 Breeders Crown will be held in Eskilstuna.

Trainer Daniel Wäjersten had a great show when the eliminations were held at Solvalla on Nov. 3. Wäjersten had 11 horses trying to reach the finals and he succeeded with 10 of them. Ten contenders Saturday makes Wäjersten the dominant trainer — and driver — in the four divisions and among his 10 horses, Kriteriet winner Bullet The Bluesky and Oaks winner Vivillion are seen.

Bullet The Bluesky will most probably be the favorite in the 3-year-old colt and gelding division, while the 3-year-old fillies’ event looks to be more open with a probable favorite from Roger Walmann’s stable; S.G.Empress.

Wäjersten has a strong weapon in the 4-year-old colt and gelding division as his Kuiper impressed a lot in his elimination, but in the same race another Daniel, Redén, has Epic Kronos, who has developed to be the king of the crop since Derby Winner Fame And Glory faces problems with health.

Norwegian trained Daim Brodda (Thor Borg) solved her task impressively in her elimination for 4-year-old mares and this event includes some really interesting trotters and the outcome is open.

Entries list for Saturday’s Eskilstuna here.

GINGRAS AND HANOVER HAVE HOPES IN SWEDISH BC

Ron Burke will soon train one of the contenders in the Swedish $320,000 Breeders Crown for 4-year-old colts and geldings. Last Saturday (Nov. 9), Timo Nurmos trained Antognoni (Father Patrick) was purchased by Yannick Gingras and Mark Weaver for approximately $100,000 and Ron Burke will be the new trainer for Antognoni, according to sulkysport.se.

Antognoni (Father Patrick—Bouncing Bax) has six wins in 19 attempts and holds a record of 1:53.4.

Gates Hanover (Walner—Good Common Cents) had a great 2-year-old season for Åke Svanstedt in 2022, but the sophomore season never really happened due to an injury. Since April this year, the Walner son has been trained by Daniel Redén and after four starts in 2024, Gates Hanover can be the big upset in the Breeders Crown for 4-year-old colts and geldings.