Title holder Bold Eagle will be clear favourite in the world's most important trotting race again. As Elitloppet winner Nuncio does not start in the 2017 Prix d'Amérique (16:05 CET), it is very difficult to find serious opposition.
Far more interesting is the question, who will make it in the Trifecta, several horses seem able to manage a place. The Swede Daniel Redén has four horses in the race, Propulsion and Lionel are well fancied. Also the mares Belina Josselyn and Anna Mix or the routinier Timoko are potential candidates. However, in recent history, outsiders made it under the first three of the Prix d'Amérique every year.
Despite he had been only five years at this point, Bold Eagle entered the 2016 Prix d’Amérique as clear favourite last year in January and did win it quite effortless. His record of 30 victories out of 35 races says all. Most recently he defeated top class opposition in the Prix du Bourbonnais and Prix de Bourgogne in great style again, not easy to imagine that the son of the two times Amérique-winner Ready Cash could not defend his title.
Under a new, simplified mode the qualification was run, the first three of the four so called 'B-races' are now eligible for the Prix d’Amérique.
Bold Eagle won the Prix de Bourgogne and Prix du Bourbonnais easily, only Lionel was able to put up some resistance. The Norwegian colt heads the lot of the Swedish trainer Daniel Redén. With Call Me Keeper, the Hambletonian Oaks-winner Wild Honey and Booster Winner he has so many starters in the Prix d’Amérique as nobody else before him.
Besides Lionel, who had beaten Bold Eagle in the Prix de Paris (4,150 m) last year, Redén's biggest hopes lie on Propulsion. The USA-born son of Muscle Hill was cancelled from the Prix de Belgique on January 15, but is now ready for the Prix d’Amérique.
Belina Josselyn had been amongst the favourites in the first two B-races, but the daughter of Love You got disqualified both times. She grabbed her Amérique ticket then on December 25, when won the Prix Tenor de Baune narrowly ahead of Bird Parker and Boléro Love.
Another interesting mare is Anna Mix. Despite a bad start she won the Prix de Bretagne ahead of Propulsion on November 20, was send to Sweden afterwards by owner Leblanc Franck, to prepare for the Prix d’Amérique.
Not only Bold Eagle will attract attention in Paris-Vincennes, also the runner-up and third of last year, the 'warhorses' Timoko and Oasis B, are glamorous trotting stars.
Timoko has managed gigantic winnings of 4,3 million Euros, made it under the top 5 of the Prix d’Amérique four times. On New Year's Day the ten-year-old finished second behind Bold Eagle in the Prix de Bourgogne, but even though he will be in even better shape at the Prix d’Amérique, a victory would be a major surprise.
Oasis B is a real globetrotter, run the big races on many of the most famoust racetracks of the world. The Italian born son of Toss Out loves to attack from the back of the field and can profit from his enormous international experience. His third place in the 2016 Prix d’Amérique was quite a big surprise though. He did not convince in the Prix de Belgique recently, but that was his first race after a three month break.