Prix d’Amérique tickets on the line Sunday
by Thomas Hedlund
Sunday’s (Dec. 21) two major Group 1 races at Vincennes will both award a direct ticket to the Prix d’Amérique on Jan. 25, 2026. In the $250,000 Criterium Continental, it is the 4-year-olds who will battle for a free pass to the biggest race of the winter.
A host of elite performers have been entered for the 2,100-meter contest, and the most accomplished horse nominated so far is Lovino Bello (Village Mystic), trained by Thierry Duvaldestin.
He will face strong opposition primarily from Italy and Sweden, and this is far from a routine field for a December Group 1 in Paris.
Bullet The Bluesky (Readly Express), trained by Daniel Wäjersten, Frank Gio (Face Time Bourbon) from Sébastien Guarato, Alessandro Gocciadoro’s duo First Of Mind and Free Time Jepson (both by Face Time Bourbon), along with Daniel Redén’s outstanding filly La Yuca (Face Time Bourbon), all rank among the elite of the European 4-year-old crop in 2025. If all remain in the field, Sunday’s Criterium Continental shapes up as a top-class showdown.
The 5-year-olds will take center stage over 2,700 meters in the $250,000 Prix Tenor de Baune, and that race is also assembling a high-quality field. Fame And Glory (Tactical Landing), the star trained by Timo Nurmos, is expected to be favored after his recent comeback victory at Vincennes, but he will not have things his own way.
Keep Going (Follow You), winner of the 2024 Criterium Continental, is already qualified for the Prix d’Amérique after finishing second behind Inmarosa in the Prix du Bourbonnais two weeks ago. He lines up again on Sunday, as does Epic Kronos (Muscle Hill), last year’s European Derby winner at Vincennes.
ENTRIES — $250,000 CRITERIUM CONTINENTAL
2,100 meters — auto start
Lovino Bello (Village Mystic) — Thierry Duvaldestin
Bullet The Bluesky (Readly Express) — Daniel Wäjersten
Frank Gio (Face Time Bourbon) — Sébastien Guarato
First Of Mind (Face Time Bourbon) — Alessandro Gocciadoro
Lombok Jiel (Enino du Pommereux) — Jean-Luc Dersoir
La Yuca (Face Time Bourbon) — Daniel Redén
Liza Josselyn (Ready Cash) — Nicolas Bazire
Falco Killer Gar (Varenne) — Thierry Duvaldestin
Far Wise As (Face Time Bourbon) — Paul Hagoort
Phantom Express (Readly Express) — Joakim Elfving
Learn To Fly (Uriel Speed) — Frédéric Senet
London (Rockfeller Center) — Mathieu Mottier
Free Time Jepson (Face Time Bourbon) — Alessandro Gocciadoro
Love Letter (Royal Dream) — Julien Dubois
Louve de Rêve d’Or (Bold Eagle) — Marc Sassier
Lara du Goutier (Ready Cash) — Damien Bonne
Ferahan As (Maharajah) — Vitale Ciotola
Flamenco Fer (Nesta Effe) — Thierry Duvaldestin
ENTRIES — $250,000 PRIX TENOR DE BAUNE
2,700 meters
Koctel du Dain (Boccador de Simm) — Philippe Allaire
Fame And Glory (Tactical Landing) — Timo Nurmos
Krack Time Atout (Face Time Bourbon) — Sébastien Guarato
Keep Going (Follow You) — Mathieu Mottier
Executiv Ek (Face Time Bourbon) — Alessandro Gocciadoro
Crown (Chapter Seven) — Daniel Redén
Epic Kronos (Muscle Hill) — Daniel Redén
Immortal Doc (Brillantissime) — Fredrik Wallin
King Opera (Ready Cash) — William Bigeon
Ksar (Follow You) — Emmanuel Varin
Kanto Avis (Ready Cash) — Marc Sassier
Kamehameha (Uniclove) — Antoine Lherete
Jazzman (Niky) — Laurent-Claude Abrivard
Icebreaker (Chocolatier) — Mattias Djuse
Charron (Code Bon) — Geir Vegard Gundersen
Kobayashi (Face Time Bourbon) — Mathieu Mottier
Encierro (Tobin Kronos) — Erik Bondo
Powwow (Papagayo E.) — Jan-Kristian Waaler
LONGSHOT STUNS IN PRIX UNE DE MAI
A massive upset unfolded in Sunday’s (Dec. 14) $125,000 Prix Une de Mai at Vincennes as Nocive du Choquel paid off at a whopping 46-1.
The heavily favored Normandie Niemen took over the lead from Nacre du Mouthieux with 1,350 meters remaining, but Nocive du Choquel (Face Time Bourbon—Emone Cruz), driven by François Lagadeuc, applied pressure on the outside with 800 meters to go. By the top of the stretch, the longshot had seized command in the semi-classic event for 2-year-old fillies and went on to win convincingly in a mile rate of 1:59.3 over 2,700 meters. Trained by Nicolas Bridault, it was only the second career win for Nocive du Choquel.
GROUP 1 ACTION IN THE SADDLE
Sunday’s Vincennes card also featured three Group 1 monté events.
In the $250,000 Prix de Vincennes for 3-year-olds, Meteor de Simm faced early trouble, traveling wide before taking command 1,500 meters from the finish. He later came under heavy pressure from Mhum Flying, who took over with 650 meters remaining but weakened late.
That opened the door for Moustik la Govelle (Discours Joyeux—City Girl), ridden by Damien Bonne, who scored at 30-1 in a new track record mile rate of 1:57.3 over 2,700 meters, his first start under saddle. Meteor de Simm finished second in 1:58, with Milor de la Vallée third in the same time.
The $220,000 Prix Jag de Bellouet went to L’Ecrin d’Or (Bird Parker—Quelle Emotion), who rallied past Lemon Fleury in the stretch to defeat favorite Lionheart. Under Alexandre Abrivard, L’Ecrin d’Or stopped the clock in a new record mile rate of 1:55.4 over 2,700 meters, collecting his second career Group 1 victory.
Finally, Keengame (Express Jet—Red Bell) extended her winning streak to three in the $220,000 Prix Bilibili under saddle. Despite racing uncovered for the final 1,500 meters, Anthony Barrier guided the 5-year-old mare past Kazachok in deep stretch to win in a mile rate of 1:57.1 over 2,700 meters. Kiss Me Honey finished second, with Kelly de Banville third.
