Rain, drama and a masterclass from Nivard in a thrilling Prix d’Amérique
Hokkaido Jiel, a 37-1 longshot, gave driver Franck Nivard his sixth victory in France’s biggest race after he narrowly defeated a sea of horses at the wire in Paris.
by Thomas Hedlund
It started under sunny skies, but rain soon took over the stage as the $1,100,000 Prix d’Amérique was contested at Vincennes in Paris on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 25). The build-up was complete. Warm-ups were over, and even there the contenders seemed to compete over who made the most commanding impression.
Ahead of the race, I questioned why Iroise de la Noe was expected to be so heavily backed by bettors — and after watching her warm up, I immediately regretted that question. The chestnut mare looked sensational for Eric Raffin, but as we know, warm-ups and race are two very different things. Iroise de la Noe was eliminated early, breaking stride after just 300 meters.
A week earlier, Franck Nivard did not have a drive in the Prix d’Amérique. But when owner Jean Luck and trainer Jean-Luc Dersoir suddenly found themselves without a driver behind Hokkaido Jiel, Nivard was asked to step in.
And, as the master of tight situations that he is, Nivard once again found the right path to victory and recorded his sixth career win in the Prix d’Amérique. This edition turned into one of the most thrilling renewals of the race in recent memory, at least by 21st-century standards.
Francesco Zet fired off the gate for Benjamin Rochard and took the lead without undue pressure. But Mathieu Mottier was unhappy sitting three-wide with Epic Kronos while Keep Going was first-over. Rochard chose to yield, allowing Keep Going to take over the lead after 800 meters.
Epic Kronos was left first-over in the second lane, and as Paul-Philippe Ploquin was on his way to challenge for the front, Koctel du Dain joined the fray. Ploquin, always razor-sharp, refused to be drawn into a trap. He stayed put in the second lane behind the Redén runner, letting Josh Power slide up to first-over while Koctel du Dain briefly took command.
But only momentarily.
With 1,100 meters to go, Romain Derieux launched Go On Boy in a violent move that carried him straight to the lead. At that point, Josh Power was parked first-over, with Epic Kronos perfectly positioned on his back.
Inmarosa was tasked with the thankless job of grinding three-wide for Léo Abrivard, with Frank Gio, Immortal Doc, and Harmony du Rabutin tracking behind. Midway through the final turn, Inmarosa waved the white flag, Josh Power latched onto Go On Boy, and suddenly the seam opened for Epic Kronos.
What followed down the stretch was almost surreal.
Horses were charging in every lane, seemingly all with a chance. When Go On Boy broke stride in resignation mid-stretch, Nivard and Hokkaido Jiel suddenly appeared along the rail. With Koctel du Dain fading 500 meters from home, Nivard — alone among the drivers —was able to drop to the inside and simply guide Hokkaido Jiel straight to the wire.
Victory came narrowly, in a mile rate of 1:54.4 over 2,700 meters. Hokkaido Jiel was sent off at 37-1.
Watch the race replay here.
Josh Power held bravely for second, just ahead of Epic Kronos, Frank Gio, and Harmony du Rabutin, the latter disqualified for a late break.
Epic Kronos finished third, with Frank Gio a nose back in fourth ahead of Just Love You. Immortal Doc closed strongly for sixth, while the performance everyone will be talking about afterward belongs to Francesco Zet — dragged to the back in the final turn, yet somehow right behind the leaders at the finish after a truly astonishing stretch run from the Father Patrick colt.
Nivard has now won the Prix d’Amérique with Meaulnes du Corta (2009), Ready Cash (2011, 2012), and Bold Eagle (2016, 2017)—and with this victory, he once again cemented his place among the legends of the race.
LONGSHOTS STEAL THE SHOW IN SATURDAY’S FEATURE RACES
Several household names were entered on Saturday’s (Jan. 24) card at Vincennes, but it was the outsiders who ended up stealing the spotlight from the headline favorites.
That said, 5-year-old Liberte de Choisel was no upset winner in the prestigious $330,000 Prix Bold Eagle, as she went wire-to-wire from 1,900 meters out.
Driven confidently by Anthony Barrier, the Sylvain Dupont-trained mare marched to the front after 800 meters, taking over from Phantom Express, and was never seriously threatened thereafter.
Well-regarded Lombok Jiel put in a strong effort first-over without quite getting to the leader, while favorite Liza Josselyn lacked her usual punch from the second-over position with Nicolas Bazire.
Liberte de Choisel held firm to score in a 1:56 mile rate over 2,700 meters, with Lombok Jiel and Liza Josselyn filling out the placings.
A true bomb landed in the $330,000 Group 1 Prix Ourasi for 4-year-olds, as Maestro Vrie delivered a stunning upset after finding room along the rail in the stretch when leader Magic Night drifted outward.
Mathieu Mottier had Maestro Vrie positioned second-over into the final turn, then tipped inside turning for home. Once the rail opened, the Louis Baudron trainee surged through to score decisively at 42-1, stopping the clock in 1:57.1 over 2,700 meters.
Guglielmo Jet finished a game second on the same time after a wide rally on the far turn, while Magic Night held third after setting the pace. Heavy favorite Golden Gio made an early break, and second choice Ginostrabliggi also went off stride while tracking the leader in the final turn.
Another massive price came in the $165,000 Prix Paul Viel, where Belgian-bred Us Darby unleashed a furious late rally for Christophe Martens, returning 50-1.
At the top of the stretch, favorite Nob Hill had taken command from Nuevo Cash, but Us Darby was flying widest of all and nailed them late to win in a 1:58.4 mile rate over 2,700 meters. Nob Hill was second on equal time, with Nuevo Cash third.
Trained by Vincent Martens, Us Darby was making his second start of the year after finishing fourth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, where he had several of Saturday’s rivals in front of him.
There were no surprises in the $165,000 Prix Roquepine, as Normandie Niemen proved far too good for her rivals. Trained by Philippe Allaire and driven by David Thomain, the 3-year-old filly controlled matters from the front, steadily increasing the tempo down the backstretch.
When Thomain asked for more turning for home, no one could respond, and Normandie Niemen drew off with ease in 1:58.2 over 2,700 meters.
Nord Americaine finished second from the pocket, with Nymphe d’Elle third after tracking the leader. Favorite Nocive du Choquel was parked first-over but retreated in the final turn and finished out of the money.
The older elite — many of them horses that failed to qualify for the Prix d’Amérique—clashed in the traditional $110,000 Prix du Luxembourg, where Executiv Ek narrowly denied a courageous Horchestro.
Executiv Ek and Alessandro Gocciadoro fired off the gate, but yielded early to Horchestro and Eric Raffin, who carved out blistering fractions — :52.3 for the first 800 meters and 1:22.1 at 1,200 meters.
The pocket opened late, and Executiv Ek shot through inside the final 200 meters, catching Horchestro right on the line to win in a new stakes record 1:52.4 mile rate over 2,100 meters. Horchestro was timed the same in defeat, while Hulysse Digeo closed for third in 1:53.2.
