by Thomas Hedlund

“The winter meeting is over for him this year.” The words are Jean-Michel Bazire’s and the horse he’s referring to is Jushua Tree, named by many fans as one of the probable favorites in the Prix d’Amérique 2025.

Jushua Tree was found to be lame on Monday (Dec. 16) and Jean-Michel Bazire was quick to report the horse’s condition to French media Paris-Turf.

Jushua Tree was supposed to race in the $255,000 Prix Tenor de Baune for 5-year-olds Sunday (Dec. 22), and he will be missed, just like another big name, Joviality, who finished third in this year’s Prix d’Amérique. Joviality is suffering from problems with her throat, but she is not, yet, out of the Prix d’Amérique in January.

Sunday’s race card at Vincennes includes two races where the winner in each event will receive a ticket to the Prix d’Amérique and the 4-year-olds will battle in the $255,000 Criterium Continental. American-bred trotters Crown and Kilmister will take on a tough bunch of French horses and other European trotters over 2,100 meters.

Koctel du Dain, Kilmister and Kana de Beylev are the most merited horses in the field of 18 trotters.

In the Prix Tenor de Baune, the field looks to be more even now when Jushua Tree out of the game. An open story waits and an upsetter can very well be a winner in this event over 2,700 meters.

Two tickets for the PdA this weekend and one week later it’s time for the third B-race ahead of January’s peak at Vincennes. The $125,000 Prix de Bourgogne is the only B-race where the conditions are 2,100 meters and starting behind the gate. Top names like Go On Boy and Idao de Tillard are both still out of the Prix d’Amérique and it will be interesting to see how the entries list will shape up early next week. Among the already set horses for the Prix d’Amérique, there are some unexpected names and as earlier mentioned, there might be more upsets Sunday at Vincennes.

CRITERIUM CONTINENTAL

2,100 meters (car)

Horse — Driver

1. Koctel du Dain — David Thomain

2. East Asia — Björn Goop

3. Keep Going — Mathieu Mottier

4. Executiv Ek — Eric Raffin

5. Crown — Francois Lagadeuc

6. Ninetta Boko — Jean-Michel Bazire

7. Edy Girifalco Gio — Santo Mollo

8. Kilmister — Gabriele Gelormini

9. Kana de Beylev — Benjamin Rochard

10. Kyrielle — William Bigeon

11. Kristal Josselyn — Anthony Barrier

12. Katinka du Mouchel — Clement Duvaldestin

13. Kokote — Alexandre Abrivard

14. Global Etalon — Magnus A Djuse

15. Karlito — Yoann Lebourgeois

16. Ksar — Matthieu Abrivard

17. Khal’s Fella — Paul Philippe Ploquin

18. Keenan de Joudes — Jean-Philippe Monclin

PRIX TENOR DE BAUNE

2,700 meters

Horse — Driver

1. Die Hard — Charley Heslouin

2. Jour de Fete — Tristan Ouvrie

3. Working Class Hero — Mathieu Abrivard

4. Jewelcandle Fac — Damien Bonne

5. Jango Vici — Benjamin Rochard

6. Jakartas des Pres — David Thomain

7. Bengan — Francois Lagadeuc

8. Jazzman Debailleul — Franck Ouvrie

9. Joumba de Guez — Jean-Michel Bazire

10. Jack Tonic — Theo Duvaldestin

11. Justin Bold — Pierre-Yves Verva

12. Juninho Dry — Paul Philippe Ploquin

13. Just Love You — Alexandre Abrivard