2024 Prix d'Amérique

January 28, 2024 - Trotting, 2,700 meters, Paris-Vincennes

Preview: October 26, 2024

After five years, a foreign horse might win the world's most important trotting race again. Francesco Zet cannot find any rivals in Sweden any more, he is on his way to Paris. Meanwhile, the first qualifying race, the Prix de Bretagne, will already be run on November 19.

Idao de Tillard is the biggest French hope of the 2024 Prix d'Amérique. Only five-years-old, he won seventeen group races, most recently the Critérium des 5 Ans. The son of Severino has not lost a race this year, unless he got disqualified, like in the Prix de Sélection or Prix René Ballière. He also started to galop in last year's Prix d'Amérique, where he already was the race favourite, together with Horsy Dream. Can trainer Thierry Duvaldestin get this problem under control, Idao de Tillard will be hard to beat.

Francesco Zet is the Swedish counterpart to Idao de Tillard. He is also five-years-old and cannot find rivals in his age class, too. Actually, he is undefeated since seventeen starts, lost only twice in his whole career. Due to an infection he ran only four races this season, which he masterfully won, like expected. Still, the son of Father Patrick never run outside Sweden and only faced older horses once, at the Norrbottens Stora Pris in June. Trainer Daniel Redén will cautiously prepare Francesco Zet for the races in Paris, where Swedish horses did not have any say since Readly Express' Amérique triumph back in 2018.

Jushua Tree is the new French junior star. The four-year-old seems unbeatable in his age class and should have a shining future. Unfortunately the son of Bold Eagle contracted an inguinal hernia in September, could not start in the Critérium des 4 Ans and will probably miss the first races of the Paris Winter Meeting too. So it is unclear, if Jean-Michel Bazire will send the young colt to the 2024 Amérique.

Ampia Mede SM finished runner-up in the Prix d'Amérique in January, and became the horse with the highest earnings of the Paris Winter Meeting by winning the Prix de France and Prix de Paris in February. The seven-year-old mare, who started her career in Italy and is now with Fabrice Souloy in France, run only twice in June since and will return to Paris-Vincennes well rested, where she won't be an outsider.

Hooker Berry won the 2023 Amérique, still is not among the favourites at the betting markets. He has not won a race since his big triumph, got beaten in the Prix de France and Prix de Paris and did not do better on his two starts after an eight-month break. However, these results should not be overestimated, trainer Jean-Michel Bazire knows what he does. Hooker Berry will return to Paris-Vincennes for the Prix de Bretagne on November 19.

Horsy Dream entered the 2023 Amérique together with Idao de Tillard as favourite, after he had gained four victories at the Paris Winter Meeting, finished only eighth in the big race. The six-year-old proved his class by winning the Prix de Séléction in March, won both races after his summer break too, and seems well-prepared for the upcoming challenges in Paris.

Hohneck missed a place in the last Amérique only narrowly, but then won the 2023 Elitloppet and most recently also the final of the UET Elite Circuit. The son of Royal Dream-Sohn is one of the big players in trotting, but he has his strength over the short distances, why he will not be among the big favourites of the 2024 Prix d'Amérique.

Fixed odds for the 2024 Prix d'Amérique can be found at RaceBets.com