The 105^th edition of the $1.05 million race will go to post at 10:20 a.m. (ET) at Vincennes in Paris.

by Thomas Hedlund

Today at Vincennes in Paris, 18 of Europe’s best trotters will contest the 105^th edition of the $1.05 million Prix d’Amerique over 2,700 meters beginning at 10:20 a.m. ET (4:20 p.m. Paris time).

Watch it here. Download a program here.

Look for a special Backstretch with Gordon — Paris edition — by Gordon Waterstone in the Friday (Jan. 31) issue of HRU.

Here’s a horse-by-horse breakdown of today’s Prix d’Amerique field:

1. IROISE DE LA NOE (TORNADO BELLO)

Driver/trainer: Thomas Levesque

Thomas Levesque’s 7-year-old mare claimed her biggest win in the last B-race, the Prix de Belgique, two weeks ago. Her chances of winning the Prix d’Amérique are small, even if the Prix de Belgique win was impressive.

2. KEEP GOING (LOVE YOU)

Driver/trainer: Mathieu Mottier

The youngster in the field, Keep Going, a 5-year-old, might be the most elegantly-gaited trotter in the Prix d’Amérique this year and he started his big journey by winning the $325,000 Criterium des 4 ans in September last year. He qualified by winning the Criterium Continental in December. This is the race’s big outsider and my guess is that he ends up on the podium.

3. JUSTIN BOLD (BOLD EAGLE)

Driver: Pierre-Yves Verva

Trainer: Jean-Remi Delliaux

Justin Bold has belonged in the top of the French J-crop as a 3- and 4-year-old, but it’s now been a while since he entered the winner’s circle (Aug. 17 2024). He will probably wait further for a win as this task looks too tough. Qualified third in the Prix de Bourgogne.

4. FAKIR DE MAHEY (REVE DE BEYLEV)

Driver: David Bekaert

Trainer: Mathieu Mottier

Fakir de Mahey surprised basically all fans by qualifying fourth in the Prix du Bourbonnais and there are few factors that tell that he will end in the top in this race.

5. IDEAL LIGNERIES (REPEAT LOVE)

Driver/trainer: Jean-Philippe Monclin

Ideal Ligneries fought well among top trotters like Idao de Tillard and Izoard Vedaquais in several big races as a 3- and 4-year-old and it’s not surprisingly that he has taken additional steps as an older trotter. Qualified as runner-up in the Prix de Belgique two weeks ago.

6. IT’S A DOLLARMAKER (SAXO DE VANDEL)

Driver: Matthieu Abrivard

Trainer: Sebastien Guarato

Trainer Sebastien Guarato knows how to win the Prix d’Amérique after his successful years with Bold Eagle and Face Time Bourbon. It’s A Dollarmaker was the favorite in the Prix de Belgique and did it okay as fourth. Strong contender in the I-crop, but this objective might be too hard.

7. JOSH POWER (OFFSHORE DREAM)

Driver: Eric Raffin

Trainer: Sebastien Ernault

Sulky dominant Eric Raffin chases his first win in the Prix d’Amérique, while trainer Sebastien Ernault knows how to be victorious in Paris. Ernault drove Oyonnax to victory in 2010 and now he has a great hope in Josh Power, who bested horses like Jushua Tree, Just Love You, Joumba de Guez and Justin Bold in the Criterium des 5 ans in September last year. Qualified by winning the Prix du Bourbonnais.

8. JUST LOVE YOU (LOVE YOU)

Driver: Alexandre Abrivard

Trainer: Laurent-Claude Abrivard

The Abrivard stable succeeded in the Prix Tenor de Baune as Just Love You claimed a safe win on the lead. A strong effort, but the qualification race did not include the very best horses in the crop. Still, Just Love You looked strong as she hit the wire as an outstanding winner.

9. INMAROSA (AMIRAL SACHA)

Driver: Leo Abrivard

Trainer: Laurent-Claude Abrivard

Inmarosa raced in all four B-races, without finishing in the top four in any of them. Her entrance in the Prix d’Amérique came via her earnings when Hokkaido Jiel had to drop out due to injury. Inmarosa will not be one of the most favored trotters in the field.

10. DIMITRI FERM (NAD AL SHEBA)

Driver: Gabriele Gelormini

Trainer: Marco Azzaroni

Italian Derby winner Dimitri Ferm enters the Prix d’Amérique without any big successes at Vincennes in his prior starts. After two starts in B-races, without prominent performances, nothing points towards an Italian win.

11. HUSSARD DU LANDRET (BIRD PARKER)

Driver: Yoann Lebourgeois

Trainer: Benoit Robin

A driver who is everything but shy in races and a horse that handles tough trips, tough pace and speed. This is an interesting contender in the Prix d’Amérique and Hussard du Landret secured his spot already in the first B-race, in November 2024.

12. EMERAUDE DE BAIS (REPEAT LOVE)

Driver: Franck Nivard

Trainer: Benjamin Goetz

Emeraude de Bais possesses qualities that very well could put her in front of the field when it all comes to an end. However, there is uncertainty about her form after the strange performance in the Prix de Bourgogne, where she made a break on the lead in the last turn. Qualified as the runner up in the Prix du Bourbonnais.

13. SAN MOTEUR (PANNE DE MOTEUR)

Driver/trainer: Björn Goop

San Moteur was set for the Prix d’Amérique last year, but had to stay in the barn due to an injury. After the runner-up-performance in the Prix de Bretagne, Björn Goop opted for a “normal” race in Sweden where San Moteur impressed big time. This is the hottest foreign challenger to the French favorites.

14. DON FANUCCI ZET (HARD LIVIN)

Driver: Paul-Philippe Ploquin

Trainer: Daniel Redén

Don Fanucci Zet tried the Prix d’Amérique two years ago and made an incredible effort from the lead and finished sixth. Vincennes’ winner’s podium still waits for the pacer-bred trotter from Sweden, but even if the results look mediocre lately, don’t be surprised if Don Fanucci Zet fights for the top spots.

15. AMPIA MEDE SM (GANYMEDE)

Driver: Vincenzo d’Alessandro, Jr

Trainer: Erik Bondo

Ampia Mede Sm was the queen of Vincennes two years ago when she finished second in the Prix d’Amérique and then followed up by winning the Prix de France and Prix de Paris. The horse left Thierry Duvaldestin’s stable before the previous race, but Erik Bondo is hardly a magician, Ampia Mede Sm shows nothing that is enough for ending in top here.

16. GO ON BOY (PASSWORD)

Driver/trainer: Romain Derieux

Could this be the year when it all happens for Go On Boy? The potential is there. The speed and strength is enough for beating them all, but the minus is that his trainer often saves the speed for the very last part of the race. With 17 contenders, there might be traffic problems, but if not, Go On Boy can be the winner.

17. HOOKER BERRY (BOOSTER WINNER)

Driver/trainer: Nicolas Bazire

The Prix d’Amérique winner in 2023, Hooker Berry, sneaks towards the very high level he possesses. Ground saving trips mixed with more optimistic tactics have probably shaped Hooker Berry perfectly ahead of this year’s Grand Prix. And the stable of Nicolas Bazire looks to be in great form as well.

18. IDAO DE TILLARD (SEVERINO)

Driver: Clément Duvaldestin

Trainer: Thierry Duvaldestin

Title defender Idao de Tillard’s road to the Prix d’Amérique has not been completely straight. Three starts at the end of last year did not prove that Thierry Duvaldestin’s champion was still No. 1 in France, but at the very end, in the Prix de Bourgogne on Dec. 29, Idao de Tillard showed that he’s still impactful among the very best horses. Will probably be the favorite.

HOW BETTORS RANKED THE FIELD AS OF FRIDAY NIGHT (JAN. 24):

1. Idao de Tillard

2. Go On Boy

3. San Moteur

4. Josh Power

5. Hooker Berry

6. Hussard du Landret

7. Keep Going

8. Iroise de la Noe

9. Just Love You

10. It’s A Dollarmaker

11. Ampia Mede Sm

12. Emeraude de Bais

13. Justin Bold

14. Dimitri Ferm

15. Inmarosa

16. Ideal Ligneries

17. Don Fanucci Zet

18. Fakir de Mahey

HRU’S PICKS FOR THE TOP 7:

Hussard du Landret

Keep Going

San Moteur

Hooker Berry

Go On Boy

Just Love You

Idao de Tillard

FRENCH HARNESS RACING PREZ 1-2 IN PRIX BOLD EAGLE

The President of French harness racing, Jean-Pierre Barjon, had plenty of reasons to shine after Saturday’s (Jan. 25) $325,000 Prix Bold Eagle for 5-year-old trotters.

Horses like Koctel du Dain, Kana de Beylev and Ksar were some of the most merited participants in the prestigious race, that eventually saw first choice Koctel du Dain in front of the field.

Koctel du Dain was pushed to the lead and without arguing, Mathieu Mottier let the favorite pass him by as he sat behind Kokote. A pocket trip turned out to be just perfect for Kokote (Ready Cash). At the top of the stretch, racing room appeared for Kokote and Mottier noted that another white and green colored driver approached as the wire got closer.

Kote is owned by Barjon, as is second-place finisher East Asia (trained by Alessandro Gocciadoro and driven by Björn Goop). East Asia’s finish was marvelous, but staged too late.

Replay here.

Kokote won the Prix Bold Eagle in a mile rate of 1:55.1 over 2,700 meters and Barjon could be satisfied that his two horses grabbed the top two spots. Gocciadoro’s Executive Ek finished strongly between horses in third.

Four-year-old trotters battled in the $325,000 Prix Ourasi and it was a thrilling event after top choice Lombok Jiel made a break in the first turn. Sebastien Guarato-trained Frank Gio (Face Time Bourbon) has been successful at Vincennes before and the Italian-bred trotter was served a nice second-over trip by Matthieu Abrivard and the three-wide attack was set in at the backstretch. When leader London made a break with a quarter-of-a-mile to go, Frank Gio got the advantage, but in a quite lazy style and far outside. Lombok Jiel came back after his early break and the last 100 meters turned out to be exciting. Lombok Jiel’s finish was extraordinary, but Frank Gio held the favorite behind him as the wire was hit in a mile rate of 1:56.2 over 1.6 miles.

Replay here.

Ecurie Bivans SRL owns Frank Gio (and Face Time Bourbon and Vivid Wise As, among others) and in the $165,000 Prix Paul Viel for 3-year-old colts, Golden Gio (Face Time Bourbon) proved best.

Replay here.

Just like Frank Gio, Golden Gio is trained by Guarato and just like Frank Gio, Abrivard dressed in yellow and green as he sat in the bike behind Golden Gio.

Guarato must have been quite satisfied with his day at Vincennes on Saturday.

The 3-year-old fillies met in the $165,000 Prix Roquepine and Guarato’s Magic America (Love You), paired with Eric Raffin, entered the winner’s circle after a strong effort.

Replay here.

Favorite Melba du Gers made a break in the first turn, but repaired strongly as fifth for Jean-Michel Bazire.

Rain started pouring down with high intensity before Vincennes’ last big race on the card, the $115,000 Prix du Luxembourg, but the track held up well and the race ended with a 1:53.1 (mile rate) win for Laurent-Claude Abrivard’s Inexess Blue (Vittel de Brevol), driven by Alexandre Abrivard. Inexess Blue did the dirty job three wide throughout the last turn and was just superior his opponents this day as he claimed his fourth consecutive win at Vincennes during the winter meeting.

Replay here.