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Odds On Racing's Horse of the Month

February 2005

Jag de Bellouet

For those harness racing enthusiasts who have been fortunate to see France's great trotter Jag de Bellouet in the flesh, one thing is for certain--this horse has panache!

His latest accomplishment was to capture the 84th edition of the reverred Prix d'Amerique at Paris' Vincennes racetrack in 1:56.1, the fastest second time in the history of the event.  Fresh off his victory in the 700,000 (Euros)
Prix d'Cornulier just one week prior, Jag de Bellouet made history as he became the first horse since Bellino II (in 1975 & 1976) to have won both events in the same year. He has also been compared to the great Ourasi, who captured the Prix d'Amerique from 1986 to 1990.


Jag de Bellouet


After finishing third in this same event one year ago, Jag de Bellouet captured the $1,300,000 Prix d’Amerique Sunday afternoon, January 30 at Paris' Vincennes racetrack. The 1-2 favorite won Europe's most prestigious event by three lengths over Gigant Neo with Ilster d’Espiens third. Eighteen diagonally-gaited specialists went postward in the misting rain, with temperatures hovering in mid-30s.

2001 Hambletonian winner Scarlet Knight took the lead from Jag de Bellout as they passed the grandstand the first time, but Jag de Bellout and driver Christophe Gallier were quickly  first-over position and two favorites battled it out. At the 800-meter mark in the 2,700 meter (1 11/16 miles) race, Jag de Bellout took command of the race. Around the final turn Scarlet Knight faded as Gigant Neo came on to be second ahead of third-place finisher Ilster d'Espiens with Hilda Zonette fourth and Civil Action in fifth.

The win was Jag de Bellouet's 13th consecutive victory. The eight-year-old Viking Way horse now has 25 victories in 88 career starts.  His last few starts were spectacular.  On January 23 he bested 18 rivals in the Prix d' Clornulier at Vincennes, one of the top monte (mounted) races on the European circuit. Prior to that victory he scored on January 2 in the 100,000 (Euros) Prix de Bourgogne at Vincennes, and on December 25 he had won the 100,000 (Euros) Prix Jules Lemonnies (another Monte event) against nine rivals at Vincennes. Earlier in December he had won the 100,000 (Euros) Prix de Bourbannais against a full field of 19 compbatants.

Transplanted Norwegian native Trond Smedshammer, who was at the Prix d'Amerique for Jag de Bellouet's victory, had this to say about the trotter: "He has the strength of a French Horse but the gait and motion of an Amerian bred."

Tom Charters, president of the Hambletonian & Breeders Crown Society, was on hand in Paris as well and has invited the trotter and his connections to race in this year's Breeders Crown Open Trot.  Word has it that Jag de Bellouet's owner and trainer are seriously considering bringing their star trotter stateside.

The connections of Jag de Bellouet.



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