Prix de Bretagne kicks off road to the Prix d’Amérique
by Thomas Hedlund
The Road to the Prix d’Amérique begins Sunday (Nov. 16) at Vincennes, with the first of the four “B” prep races — the $125,000 Prix de Bretagne over 2,700 meters.
The field remains high on quality despite the withdrawal of defending Prix d’Amérique champion Idao de Tillard. Sweden’s Borups Victory (Googoo Gaagaa, trainer Daniel Wäjersten) will take on Jushua Tree (Bold Eagle, Nicolas Bazire), who looms as the likely favorite after his strong comeback win in the Prix des Cevennes two weeks ago. Idao de Tillard will most probably show up in the second B-race, the Prix du Bourbonnais on Dec. 7.
The 18 horses entered Wednesday (Nov. 12) include a deep group of elite French and Scandinavian trotters:
Ideale du Chene (Bird Parker) — Julien Le Mer
Just A Gigolo (Boccador de Simm) — Philippe Allaire
Borups Victory (Googoo Gaagaa) — Daniel Wäjersten
Hirondelle du Rib (Rolling d’Heripre) — Joël Hallais
Izoard Vedaquais (Bird Parker) — Philippe Allaire
Jushua Tree (Bold Eagle) — Nicolas Bazire
Hokkaido Jiel (Brillantissime) — Jean-Luc Dersoir
Just Love You (Love You) — Laurent-Claude Abrivard
Ina du Rib (Uhlan du Val) — Joël Hallais
Jean Balthazar (Alto de Viette) — Pascal Castel
Kana de Beylev (Express Jet) — William Bigeon
Josh Power (Offshore Dream) — Sébastien Ernault
Krack Time Atout (Face Time Bourbon) — Sébastien Guarato
Iguski Sautonne (Village Mystic) — Matthieu Abrivard
Justin Bold (Bold Eagle) — Jean-Rémi Delliaux
Keep Going (Follow You) — Mathieu Mottier
J’aime le Foot (Boccador de Simm) — Antoine Lherete
Epic Kronos (Muscle Hill) — Daniel Redén
Also eligible: Jazzman Debailleul, Ideal du Pommeau, Happy Danica, King Opera, Kalif Landia, Harmony du Rabutin, Ksar, Working Class Hero, Iroise de la Noe, Haitian Fight Song, Handy Bourbon, Jobspost, and Jamaica Brown.
The top three finishers in the Prix de Bretagne earn automatic invitations to the 2026 Prix d’Amérique (Jan. 25), the world’s most prestigious trotting race.
TOP FIELDS SET FOR $240,000 BREEDERS CROWN FINALS IN ESKILSTUNA
Eskilstuna’s Sundbyholm Racetrack hosts Sweden’s traditional $240,000 Breeders Crown finals on Saturday (Nov. 15), drawing the nation’s best 3- and 4-year-olds in the season’s last major tests for the young divisions.
The most anticipated showdown comes in the 4-Year-Old Colt and Gelding final, where the two dominant trotting forces of the crop — Bullet The Bluesky (Readly Express) and Dream Mine (Maharajah) — renew their rivalry. Both were sparkling winners of their Solvalla semifinals on Nov. 2, as was Izod Zet (Propulsion), setting the stage for a blockbuster finale in Eskilstuna.
The 4-Year-Old Mares final is equally loaded. Vivillion (Propulsion), Elegance Silvio (Maharajah), and S.G. Empress (Readly Express) captured their semis, but others — including La Yuca (Face Time Bourbon), Screen Time Limit (Face Time Bourbon), Panthere d’Inverne (Brillantissime), and Lilium Sisu (Face Time Bourbon) — could all challenge for the crown.
Among the 3-Year-Olds, Bonsse Garde (Makethemark), Gourmet d’Arc (Six Pack), and Kobra Brick (Readly Express) top the fillies division, while the colts and geldings race looks wide-open on paper.
BREEDERS CROWN 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES FINAL
Purse: $240,000 — 2,140 meters
1. Global Got It All (Walner) — Rikard N. Skoglund — Fredrik Wallin
2. Gourmet d’Arc (Six Pack) — Robin Bakker — Paul Hagoort
3. Västerbo Redless (Readly Express) — Magnus A. Djuse — Timo Nurmos
4. Bonsse Garde (Makethemark) — Carl Johan Jepson — Fredrik Wallin
5. Molly Jo Poof (Makethemark) — Victor Rosleff — Jouni Hillbom
6. Kobra Brick (Readly Express) — Mika Forss — Petri Salmela
7. Selmina Venit (Donato Hanover) — André Eklundh — Eric Martinsson
8. Mumin Mearas (Walner) — Björn Goop
9. Global Good News (S.J.’s Caviar) — Andreas Lövdal
10. Time To Run (Who’s Who) — Claes Sjöström
11. Njuta In (Googoo Gaagaa) — Mats E. Djuse — David Persson
12. Universe Tile (Walner) — Örjan Kihlström — Roger Walmann
BREEDERS CROWN 3-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS FINAL
Purse: $240,000 — 2,140 meters
1. Pure Count (Googoo Gaagaa) — Victor Rosleff — Fredrik Wallin
2. Zarex (Readly Express) — Daniel Wäjersten
3. Perfect Chest (Perfect Spirit) — Örjan Kihlström — Daniel Redén
4. Valla d’Gaagaa (Googoo Gaagaa) — Robert Bergh
5. Knoxville (Nuncio) — Magnus A. Djuse — Timo Nurmos
6. You Bow To No One (Nuncio) — Björn Goop — Claes Sjöström
7. Pivot Express (Readly Express) — Stefan Persson — David Persson
8. Barkley (Face Time Bourbon) — Carl Johan Jepson — Robert Bergh
9. Olle Sting (Don Fanucci Zet) — Claes Sjöström
10. Eol (Walner) — Robin Bakker — Erwin Bot
11. Gangster Vendil (Power) — Oskar Kylin Blom
12. Recycle Cash (Ready Cash) — Rikard N. Skoglund — Mattias Djuse
BREEDERS CROWN 4-YEAR-OLD MARES FINAL
Purse: $240,000 — 2,140 meters
1. Vivillion (Propulsion) — Daniel Wäjersten
2. Elegance Silvio (Maharajah) — Johan Untersteiner
3. S.G. Empress (Readly Express) — Rikard N. Skoglund — Roger Walmann
4. La Yuca (Face Time Bourbon) — Örjan Kihlström — Daniel Redén
6. Giraffa (Maharajah) — Conrad Lugauer
7. Undinia (Northern Charm) — Carl Johan Jepson — Daniel Redén
8. Olivia Bros (Muscle Mass) — Magnus A. Djuse — Mattias Djuse
9. Panthere d’Inverne (Brillantissime) — André Eklundh
10. Lilium Sisu (Face Time Bourbon) — Mika Forss — Petri Salmela
11. Screen Time Limit (Face Time Bourbon) — Ulf Ohlsson — Daniel Wäjersten
12. J.H. Ellen (Winter Harbour) — Björn Goop
BREEDERS CROWN 4-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS FINAL
Purse: $240,000 — 2,140 meters
1. Izod Zet (Propulsion) — Örjan Kihlström — Daniel Redén
2. Bullet The Bluesky (Readly Express) — Daniel Wäjersten
3. Dream Mine (Maharajah) — Mats E. Djuse — Jörgen Westholm
4. Before Takeoff (Nuncio) — Johan Untersteiner — Daniel Wäjersten
5. Lifelong Journey (Readly Express) — Marcus Lilius — Jörgen Westholm
6. Basic Structure (Nuncio) — Carl Johan Jepson — Stefan Melander
7. Currency Artist (Royalty For Life) — Ulf Ohlsson — Ville Karhulahti
8. Limoncello Boko (Muscle Mass) — André Eklundh
9. Preacherman (Father Patrick) — Markus B. Svedberg
10. R.K. Eagle (Bold Eagle) — Björn Goop
11. French Kronos (Face Time Bourbon) — Robin Bakker — Daniel Wäjersten
12. Golden Sunrise (Readly Express) — Magnus A. Djuse — Mattias Djuse
