by Thomas Hedlund

Two B-races remain before all qualification events ahead of the grand Prix d’Amérique at Vincennes in January are decided. Sunday’s (Dec. 22) two big races — the $255,000 Criterium Continental and $255,000 Prix Tenor de Baune — ended with one new name ready for the Prix d’Amérique since the latter race was won by Laurent-Claude Abrivard-trained Just Love You (Love You), who already had her spot secured via a fourth-place finish in the Prix de Bretagne on Nov. 17.

Alexandre Abrivard sent Just Love You to the lead with 1,900 meters to go and in that position the 5-year-old mare was unbeatable.

Replayhere.

First choice Just Love You won in a mile rate of 1:56 over 1.6 miles on a quite sloppy Vincennes’ track.

The purse was the same in the two big races in Paris on this special day, but the Criterium Continental for 4-year-olds felt like a more important event, maybe because it’s open to 4-year-old trotters who will face the older elite next year, and even in the Prix d’Amérique. Whether Keep Going (Follow You) will race in the Prix d’Amérique or not will be a question for later. The fact right now is that Mathieu Mottier’s horse has his spot in the big Grand Prix, if the connections of Keep Going want to race.

And Keep Going has lately developed to be the best 4-year-old French-bred trotter after winning the $330,000 Criterium des 4 ans in September and now the $255,000 Criterium Continental.

In a :26.1 opening quarter, Keep Going looked strong outside of leader Kilmister and Mottier could send his trotter to lead shortly after.

The pace continued to hold at a high level with the first choice Keep Going controlling the race in front and Mottier’s horse had moral and strength to defend himself when East Asia attacked on the outside in the stretch. This was an impressive win by the 4-year-old Follow You son and with four weeks to go, this is the dark horse in the Prix d’Amérique 2025. If he will race, is a decision that will be made by Mottier and the owner in the coming weeks.

Replay here.

A mile rate of 1:52.1 over 1.3 miles must be considered a very impressive one with conditions that prevailed at Vincennes last Sunday.

American-bred Crown finished third in the Criterium Continental and gets high grades after a tough trip where he raced three wide during the race’s first kilometer.

Keep Going will probably aim towards the Prix d’Amérique, that can be assumed when the field of horses ready for the big race not yet includes the big, heavy favorites.

Gambling companies mention San Moteur, Go On Boy, Idao de Tillard and Izoard Vedaquais as the favorites for winning the Prix d’Amérique 2025, but we have to remember that the three latter named horses aren’t even in the race yet.

But that may be solved in today’s (Dec. 29) $125,000 Prix de Bourgogne over 2,100 meters.

This is, so far, the most challenging B-race this winter, not least because of the participation from Go On Boy, Idao de Tillard and Izoard Vedaquais. In addition to these three names, Swedish-bred Don Fanucci Zet tries to secure his spot for the PdA and the conditions of 2,100 meters starting behind the gate suit him well. With four spots at stake, this could really be a spectacular event at Vincennes.

PRIX DE BOURGOGNE

2,100 meters

Horse — Driver

1. Inmarosa — Leo Abrivard

2. Don Fanucci Zet — Francois Lagadeuc

3. Emeraude de Bais — Pierre-Yves Verva

4. Gu d’Heripre — Theo Duvaldestin

5. Go On Boy — Romain Derieux

6. Idao de Tillard — Clement Duvaldestin

7. Hussard du Landret — Yoann Lebourgeois

8. Dimitri Ferm — Matthieu Abrivard

9. Hokkaido Jiel — David Thomain

10. Bengurion Jet — Gabriele Gelormini

11. Oracle Tile — Benjamin Rochard

12. Ideal de Ligneries — Jean-Philippe Monclin

13. Always Ek — Magnus A Djuse

14. Mister Hercules — Alexandre Abrivard

15. Justin Bold — Mathieu Mottier

16. Happy And Lucky — Adrien Lamy

17. Josh Power — Eric Raffin

18. Banderas Bi — Scratched

HORSES QUALIFIED FOR PRIX D’AMÉRIQUE 2025

Prix de Bretagne:

Hussard du Landret

San Moteur

Hooker Berry

Just Love You

PRIX DU BOURBONNAIS:

Josh Power

Emeraude de Bais

Hokkaido Jiel

Fakire de Mahey

CRITERIUM CONTINENTAL:

Keep Going

PRIX TENOR DE BAUNE:

Just Love You

EMMA DEI VELTRI TOPS IN NAPLES

Gennaro Casillo-trained Emma dei Veltri (Maharajah) proved strongest in Sunday’s (Dec. 22) $127,000 Gran Premio Royal Mares in Naples, Italy.

Alessandro Gocciadoro’s Delicious Gar chased Emma dei Veltri, who took over the lead when front runner Marion Fauty Bon gave up in the last turn. Emma dei Veltri’s first over trip didn’t bother her as she easily held Delicious Gar a safe distance behind her at the wire.

Gennaro Casillo’s mare came home in 1:54.2 while Delicious Gar followed in second ahead of Dali Prav.

JOVIALTY STOPS

Courant Stable’s Joviality (Chapter Seven) has come to the end of her racing career. The decision was announced on Dec. 24 by the trainer Sabine Kagebrant.

“Joviality has a minor crack in her right front leg and needs eight-to-10 weeks before she can return to full training,” Kagebrant said in a press release. “It is, of course, a setback, when we are preparing for the Prix d’Amérique, where her place also looked pretty clear now after Just Love You’s win on Sunday. The harness racing business gives and the business takes. We are at the very highest level and sadly, it seems like this can happen.”

Joviality banked approximately $2.4 million and her biggest triumph came in the $800,000 Swedish Derby in 2023.

She must be considered as one of the very best mares ever bred in Europe and her early retirement is sad news for the harness racing fans. Joviality will now enter the breeding business and her first partner is not decided yet.