A new name in the Paris Grand Prix – He And Me stuns in Prix de Paris
by Thomas Hedlund
We knew it would be a new winner.
When the final leg of the Paris winter Grand Prix trilogy was decided on Sunday (Feb. 22), it was already clear that the $440,000 Prix de Paris would be won by a horse that had captured neither the Prix d’Amérique nor the Prix de France.
No Hokkaido Jiel, no Iroise de la Noe – and favoritism ultimately landed on two foreign-bred contenders.
Sébastien Guarato-trained Frank Gio (Face Time Bourbon) and Daniel Redén’s Francesco Zet (Father Patrick) were the two most heavily supported trotters in the 4,150-meter marathon. Turning for home, it looked reasonably promising for the latter.
But this is the Prix de Paris.
It is long. It is demanding. Energy reserves fade in the final stages. And historically, foreign challengers have struggled to outstay the French in a race that epitomizes the very essence of French trotting – where stamina is king.
There were multiple lead changes throughout the race, but Just Love You (Love You) spent the longest stretch in front, with He And Me (Bird Parker) tracking her every move along the rail under Eric Raffin.
The pace hovered around a 2:00 mile rate, and it was evident that Francesco Zet had difficulty relaxing in second-over when the tempo was not stronger. Driver Benjamin Rochard had to work through the first 1,600 meters before the Swedish-bred star finally settled into a rhythm.
Frank Gio was positioned two lengths behind Francesco Zet in the outer flow. With a lap to go, Matthieu Abrivard began inching forward three-wide with Frank Gio, and Hooker Berry (Booster Winner) followed suit in response to Frank Gio’s advance.
Meanwhile, Raffin moved He And Me first-over outside the leader. When Rochard tipped Francesco Zet three-wide, the acceleration from the Father Patrick son was immediate and powerful. Within a few hundred meters, he had powered into the death seat.
At precisely that moment, drama unfolded.
He And Me broke stride in second-over. Raffin quickly steadied him, but just as the gelding returned to gait, he took several more steps on the break. Under normal circumstances, that would mean immediate disqualification. This time, however, the Vincennes stewards ruled that the gallop had not been sustained long enough to warrant elimination.
And so the race continued. With 500 meters remaining, the field swung into the final turn: Just Love You still on the lead, Francesco Zet parked outside and challengers fanned out wide. That was when Raffin struck.
He And Me launched his attack and immediately began to pressure Francesco Zet, who had already engaged Just Love You at the head of affairs.
With 200 meters to go, He And Me surged past to take command.
Behind him, Ibiki de Houelle (Love You) and Harmony du Rabutin (Royal Dream) closed strongly, with the latter securing second ahead of Ibiki de Houelle.
But on this day, no one could match He And Me. The Julien Dubois-trained 9-year-old delivered a genuine upset in the Prix de Paris, returning 13-1 to bettors and stopping the clock in a 1:58.4 mile rate over 4,150 meters.
Francesco Zet finished fourth, only a short margin behind the leading trio, after a brave, but ultimately insufficient, stamina effort.
Watch the race replay here
HRU IS SEARCHING FOR THE WORLD’S MOST STYLISH RACING COLORS
Harness Racing Update is on the hunt for the most beautiful set of racing colors in the world — and we need our readers’ input.
There are countless color combinations and patterns to choose from, and it’s far from certain that traditional French owner silks appeal to everyone. Likewise, American-style patterns might not always resonate with European fans.
That’s exactly why we want to hear from you.
Which driver — or owner — has had, or still has, the most stylish racing colors in the sport of harness racing? Send us your nominations, and feel free to include a short motivation explaining why you think those silks stand above the rest.
We’ll collect your suggestions and see where the standings are as we approach the end of March.
Send your nominations to: [email protected]
