Harness: Propulsion back for another try at Prix d'Amerique glory

Many of the stars of European trotting will be in action on Sunday at Vincennes Racecourse in Paris as this year's Prix d'Amerique takes place. Twelve horses qualified for the prestigious event through a series of races at Vincennes during November and December. Six more were added by career earnings, giving us a chance to see a competitive group of 18 line up from a standing start

Propulsion, a 9-year-old son of Hambletonian winner Muscle Hill and Hambletonian Oaks winner Danae, and also the full brother of Damien, who sold for $1 million at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale in 2019, will take his fourth shot at winning the Prix d'Amerique. Propulsion, who was bred by Fredericka Caldwell and Bluestone Farms LLC., and started his career for trainer Tony Alagna, was fourth in 2017, third in 2018, and fifth a year ago. Trained by Daniel Redén for owner Stall Zet, Propulsion prepped for the race at Bergsåker in Sweden on January 11, but the track and weather conditions were not ideal and he finished second in a tough effort. This placed his participation in the Prix d'Amerique in some doubt, but he came to his form in training and is now eager to go.

"His last race was hard. The bad track and racing with winter shoes (spikes) was hard for him," said Redén. "I felt the power again (on Monday), and he was happy - screaming and shouting to the girls - after training, so I decided to go. If you don’t try, you can’t win."

Another horse who began his career in North America that will be in the Prix d'Amerique is Milligan's School. A stakes winner as both a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old for Julie Miller, he was purchased by Stefan Melander in late 2016 and sent overseas. Milligan's School is a son of Yankee Glide-Tori Ann (S J's Photo) and was bred by Richard and Joyce McClelland.

As for the rest of the group, the powerhouse stables of Sébastien Guarato and Jean-Michel Bazire dominated the prep races for the Prix d'Amerique and will combine to send out seven of the 18 participants on Sunday.

Guarato has the pre-race betting favorite in Face Time Bourbon, a 5-year-old son of Ready Cash who qualified for the Prix d'Amerique by winning the Criterium Continental for 4-year-olds on the 22nd of December. Guarato's Billie de Montfort qualified via the Grand Prix de Bourgogne on December 29. He also has last year's Breeders Crown Open Trot winner and two-time Prix d'Amerique champion Bold Eagle thanks to a second-place finish in the Grand Prix du Bourbonnais on 12/8 and added Velko Jenilat by earnings. Bazire took the Grand Prix de Bretagne on the 17th of November with Davidson du Pont and was also third in the race with Looking Superb, giving him two qualifiers from that contest. He then won the last prep race, the Grand Prix de Belgique on January 12, with Belina Josselyn.

Only Delia du Pommereux, trained by Sylvain Roger, and Excellent, conditioned by Laurent-Claude Abrivard, were able to break the Guarato/Bazire stranglehold on the prep races. Delia du Pommereux bettered Bold Eagle in the Grand Prix du Bourbonnais and Excellent was victorious in the Prix Tenor de Baune for 5-year-olds on 12/22.

"It’s a very open Prix d'Amerique this year," remarked Redén. "Many horses can win, but my favorite is Davidson du Pont. I think Face Time Bourbon is the favorite on the betting sites, but he is still young and maybe needs one more year."

The Prix d'Amerique is the seventh race on the card on Sunday. The program begins at 11:40 A.M. local time, which corresponds to 5:40 A.M. eastern, and off time for the Prix d'Amerique should be shortly after 10 A.M. eastern. The full field with betting numbers is listed below. Post positions are determined on the fly depending on how the horses line up at the start.

1-Excellent
2-Chica de Joudes
3-Looking Superb
4-Vivid Wise AS
5-Enino du Pommereux
6-Delia du Pommereux
7-Davidson du Pont
8-Bahia Quesnot
9-Face Time Bourbon
10-Milligan's School
11-Vitruvio
12-Uza Josselyn
13-Valko Jenilat
14-Ringostarr Treb
15-Billie de Montfort
16-Belina Josselyn
17-Propulsion
18-Bold Eagle