The Grand Prix d’Amerique, which is held every year during the last weekend of January at the Vincennes Racetrack in Paris, is considered as the World Cup for trotting horses.
The best trotters from Europe and from time to time even from other continents are registered to take part in this race on a long distance of 2,700m.
Definitely, the last two editions of this race confirmed that the French trotter Bold Eagle, sired by the French stallion Ready Cash and the French mare Reethi Rat Jet, is one of the best trotters of this decade.
During the past edition, Bold Eagle, owned by French Pierre Pilarski and trained by Sebastien Guarato, triumphed in an average record time.
However, in the past weeks, trotters like Bird Parker and Valko Jenilat confirmed that they should also be considered as serious contenders to win the Amerique and beat Bold Eagle.
It was on January 31, 2016 when Bold Eagle, driven by Franck Nivard and trained by Sebastien Guarato, managed to win this exciting race for the first time in its career.
In that 95th edition of this competition, Nivard’s trotter clocked an average time of 1.11.4” per kilometre and which was a new record for this prestigious race.
That year, Bold Eagle, became also the 15th trotter in history to win the Amerique at the age of five years or younger.
Then earlier this year, on January 29, Bold Eagle managed to repeat the success of the previous edition.
Once again, under the guidance of Franck Nivard, Bold Eagle succeeded to triumph in this race after taking the lead midway through the straight from home and dashing past the post first in an impressive new record time of 1.11.2” per kilometre.
This was another huge achievement for Nivard who in the past had won the Amerique also in 2009 first with Meaulnes Du Corta and then, in 2012 and 2013, with Bold Eagle’s sire Ready Cash.
Apart from the Amerique, during the past months, Bold Eagle’s name was also inscribed on other important trophies and events.
For this reason, horse racing enthusiasts are questioning which horse or horses might be its real contenders next January in Paris.
An indication will surely be given by the four international races that the French association Le Trot organises in the weeks prior to the Amerique as qualifying races for this big event.
These are the Grand Prix De Bretagne, the Grand Prix Du Bourbonnais, the Grand Prix du Bourgogne and the Grand Prix De Belgique. The first three horses from each of these races qualify automatically for the Amerique.
Bold Eagle missed the Grand Prix De Bretagne held on November 19 at the same Vincennes Racetrack in Paris. This due to health conditions and because his usual driver, Franck Nivard was also not fit for the occasion.
It was French Valko Jenilat (Eric Raffin) which past the finishing post first from Billie De Montfort (David Thomain) and Charly Du Noyer (Yoann Lebourgeois).
The latter is also sired by Ready Cash. Valko Jenilat, also trained by Guarato, clocked an average time of 1.13.2” on a distance of 2,700m.
Then on Sunday, the Grand Prix Du Bourbonnais was organised on a distance of 2,850m.
Seventeen horses lined up for this race with Bold Eagle starting from the outside. Bold Eagle took the lead with 500m to go, however was reeled in by Bird Parker (Jean Philippe Monclin) in the middle of the final straight.
Bird Parker, another horse sired by Ready Cash, triumphed in an average time of 1.12.4” per kilometer from Bold Eagle (Franck Nivard) and Italian Ringostarr Treb (Gabriele Gelormini). Swedish Propulsion (Orjan Kihlstrom) finished fourth.
Certainly will see the reaction of Bold Eagle in the Grand Prix Du Bourgogne which will be held on December 31 and in the Grand Prix De Belgique which will be run on January 14, 2018.