Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Jeanbat Du Vivier Accepts Nat Ray Invitation

July 29, 2005

Jeanbat du Vivier, a $1 million-earner and leading stakes performer in Europe, will be the arriving at the Meadowlands on Tuesday to compete in the $300,000 Nat Ray Invitational on Saturday, August 6. Jeanbat du Vivier will be the first French-bred horse to compete at the Meadowlands since his sire, Coktail Jet did so a decade ago.

“We continue to try to foster more international competition and the presence of Jeanbat du Vivier will, hopefully, add a different dimension to this year’s Nat Ray,” said Meadowlands Vice President for Racing Operations Chris McErlean. “The Europeans see the Nat Ray as a great stage to show off their top horses and their performances have justified those expectations. Two of the last three Nat Ray winners – Victory Tilly in 2002 and Revenue in 2004 – came from Europe.”

Victory Tilly’s 1:50.4 mile still stands as the stakes record

The invitation to Jeanbat du Vivier was officially issued on Wednesday, after he qualified in 1:54.3 at Enghien, one of the two Paris area tracks [with Vincennes]. Pierre Vercruysse, who will drive him in the Nat Ray, was in the sulky.

"It's a bit tricky to prepare a horse in France for this kind of race because the French condition books do not offer many races on the mile,” owner-trainer Philippe Allaire said. “Also, for horses of a certain level the distance of the races offer quite a lot. He did make a break in his last race, but the one before that was a great effort. He finished second to Prix d'Am*rique winner Jag du Bellouet, the only time he got to race on the mile this year. He was re-qualified on Wednesday. The horse is ready. The profile of Meadowlands should be perfect for him. That's why we are going.

"Last year we were hoping to come, but it didn't happen,” he added. “This year could be his chance. It's now or never. He is in great physical shape and always comes to his top form in the summer.

“I don't want to see him run on smaller tracks, but a mile track like Meadowlands is just perfect for us,” he noted. “He's really good at handling the heat, and he is ready for a big year. For us it's a great challenge. It's a tough one. It is very motivating.

"The fact that the straight is a quarter of a mile is good for us,” Allaire explained. “Like many French horses Jeanbat is very tough and has a great attitude. He's gained a lot of speed, can accelerate and turn very well. The reason we are not keen on sending him on smaller track is not the lack for speed, just that he has those great strides that suit better on a mile track.
"Pierre Vercruysse knows the horse well, and he knows the Meadowlands well,” Allaire said. “His in-laws are from there. It will be a comeback of sorts."

On Wednesday, after the qualifier, Allaire spoke to the racing publication Paris-Turf: “There was no real challenge, of course, but we had to that in order to go after the American Dream. Pierre Vercruysse managed to give the horse more confidence. We could have gone directly to the States and qualify him on site, three days before the race, but I preferred to do that in France. Jeanbat du Vivier will leave Saturday in an AirFrance cargo plane for a trip of approximately seven hours. Needless to say, there have been easier trips to plan, but this challenge is well worth it, and we hope we’ll do well.”

After a quarantine of 48 hours in Newburgh, New York, the trotter will be based at the Meadowlands.

Jeanbat du Vivier has a win, two seconds and a third in seven starts this year. He captured the $108,000 Prix de New York on June 25 at Enghien and was second to Prix d’’Amerique winner Jag de Bellouet in the $120,000 Prix de Washington on July 2. His official work on July 27 followed a break in stride in his last pari-mutuel start, the $169,000 Prix d’Europe on July 23.
Lifetime, the eight-year-old son of Coktail Jet – Duchesse des Vaux has a record of 21 wins, 11 seconds and four thirds from 67 starts and earnings of $1,024,450.

His sire, Coktail Jet, competed in the 1996 Breeders Crown Trot at the Meadowlands, finishing sixth. He retired with 17 victories and earnings in excess of $2.3 million.

Driver Pierre Vercruysse, 42, was born in Saint Mande, France and apprenticed with Michel Pipet. He set up a public stable in France in 1988 after four years in the States, where he met his wife, Linda. They have three children.

Mr Muscleman, who brings an eight-race winning streak into Saturday’s $250,000 Trotting Classic at the Meadowlands, is the only other confirmed invitee to the Nat Ray, at this point. He earned his invitation by virtue of winning both the Cutler Memorial and the Titan Cup at the Meadowlands.