Harness: Prix d'Amerique thrown open after Face Time Bourbon's scratch

The 2022 edition of the Prix d'Amerique, one of the world's biggest trotting events, is coming up on Sunday at the Vincennes Racecourse in Paris, but the complexion of the race was altered completely on Tuesday (1/25) when it was announced that two-time defending champion Face Time Bourbon would not be participating.

Face Time Bourbon looked to be in great form in his quest to become the first horse since Ourasi in 1986-88 to win three straight Prix d'Ameriques, having taken the Prix de Bretagne qualifying race in a record time of 1'11"4 and finishing second to Étonnant in the Prix de Bourbonnais (also won in a record clocking of 1'11"4). However, on Tuesday, majority owner Antonio Somma and trainer Sébastien Guarato announced that the horse had suffered a foot injury and was out of the race. Guarato told the French publication Equidia that the issue will likely force Face Time Bourbon into retirement.

"It's a huge disappointment, it's indescribable. I've just learned of it and Sébastien has to call me back. The horse is having an MRI at this moment (Tuesday at 2 p.m.)," Pierre Pilarski, who also co-owns Face Time Bourbon, told Equidia. "It's terrible news, it goes beyond sport. Face Time Bourbon is an immense champion and not seeing him at the start is a real blow."

With Face Time Bourbon not competing, that leaves Guarato's normally powerful stable with just one horse in the race (Billie De Montfort), and Somma will have to pull for his Vivid Wise AS, trained by Alessandro Gocciadoro, to get the job done.

The defection of Face Time Bourbon has left Étonnant as the favorite in the wagering markets. An 8-year-old son of Timoko trained by Richard Westerink and driven by Anthony Barrier, Étonnant was second to Face Time Bourbon in the Prix de Bretagne, and then, as mentioned, defeated him in the Prix de Bourbonnais. Étonnant did put in one other prep appearance, finishing eighth in the Grand Prix d'Hiver at Bordeaux on December 30. Despite the poor finish, he did have trot at the end of the race after sitting at the back of the pack.

"It is certain that Face Time Bourbon was also above the others. We cannot be happy with a withdrawal following a health concern. I hope that everything will be fine for Sébastien's horse (Guarato)," Barrier said to Equidia. "For the race, that changes everything. From now on, everyone will be "hot." Those who were hoping for a good place logically think that they can aim higher. The race is going to be different and more open. Face Time Bourbon's withdrawal puts a little more pressure on us, but we have to remain calm and lucid to make the right choices at the right time on the track on Sunday."

Davidson du Pont, who was second to Face Time Bourbon in the Prix d'Amerique in both 2020 and 2021, leads a contingent of four from the Jean-Michel Bazire operation in the race on Sunday. Davidson du Pont has not performed well coming into the event, though, as he broke stride in both the Prix de Bourgogne and Prix de Belgique and was unplaced in the Prix de Bourbonnais. Bazire's other horses are Zacon Gio, the winner of the 2019 International Trot at Yonkers Raceway, Rebella Matters, and Feydeau Seven. Feydeau Seven took advantage of Davidson du Pont's break in the Prix de Belgique to get the victory. Bazire had also qualified Ganay de Banville via a third-place finish in the Prix de Bretagne, but that horse came up sick prior to the Prix de Belgique and will not race in the Prix d'Amerique.

"He's fit and has the capacity to do something great," said Bjorn Goop about Zacon Gio at a Thursday press conference. Bazire echoed the sentiment of Goop while adding some caution. "Zacon Gio may be our best chance but he's hot and cold," said Bazire, who also discussed the training regimen for his group. "Monday we tried to intensify a little bit, not too much, just enough to get them fit...maybe on Saturday morning we will have a more serious session to get them ready."

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Delia du Pommereux is another multi-time Prix d'Amerique starter that is getting noticed in the pre-race markets, but she faces the same situation as Davidson du Pont in that her results in the prep races were not good. She was fifth in the Prix de Bourbonnais, broke stride in the Prix de Bourgogne, and was just ninth in the Prix de Belgique. Still, she was fourth in the event a year ago and sixth in 2020, so that experience does help.

Cokstile, who was placed the winner of the 2020 Elitloppet after the disqualification of Propulsion, was victorious in the Prix de Bourgogne and is also a possible contender, though he followed up his triumph with an unplaced result in the Prix de Belgique. 2021 Elitloppet champion Don Fanucci Zet also went to France to try and make the Prix d'Amerique, but he only managed a seventh-place finish in the Prix de Bourgogne, and trainer Daniel Reden said after that he was no longer under consideration.

Alessandro Gocciadoro trains two of the the 18 starters in the event in Vivid Wise As and Vitruvio. He said both horses are in good form and should be competitive but leaned to the one he will not drive, Vivid Wise As as his "best chance."

The Prix d'Amerique, which is done from a standing start and carries a purse of 1 million Euros, is the seventh of 11 races on Sunday at Vincennes, with an approximate post time of 4:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. eastern).

Program Number-Horse–Driver–Trainer
1. Galius - Yoann Lebourgeois – Severine Raimond
2. Feydeau Seven – Jean-Michel Bazire - Jean-Michel Bazire
3. Rebella Matters – Christophe Martens – Jean Michel Bazire
4. Hohneck – Francois Lagadeuc – Phillippe Allaire
5. Diable de Vauvert - Tony le Beller – Bertrand Le Beller
6. Gu d'Heripre – Franck Nivard – Fabrice Souloy
7. Chica de Joudes – Alain Laurent - Alain Laurent
8. Power – Robert Bergh - Robert Bergh
9. Etonnant – Anthony Barrier – Richard Westerink
10. Flamme de Goutier – Theo Duvaldestin – Thierry Duvaldestin
11. Cokstile – Gabriele Gelormini – Erik Bondo
12. Zacon Gio – Björn Goop – Jean Michel Bazire
13. Vitruvio – Alessandro Gocciadoro - Alessandro Gocciadoro
14. Delia du Pommereux - David Thomain – Sebastian Roger
15. Vivid Wise As – Matthieu Abrivard – Alessandro Gocciadoro
16. Bahia Quesnot – Junior Guelpa - Junior Guelpa
17. Davidson du Pont – Nicolas Bazire - Nicolas Bazire
18. Billie de Montfort – Pierre-Yves Verva – Sebastian Guarato