Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

One of the greatest trotters of all time, and one of the top European Champion Trotters of all time, Ideal Du Gazeau won the Criterium des Jeunes at 3, 4, and 5. At age 5 he finished second in the Prix d'Amerique, and the Prix de Selection.
Ideal Du Gazeau Confirmation

As a 6-year-old he won the Campionato Europeo, Copenhagen Cup, Elite-Rennen, Elitloppet, Grand Prix du Sud Ouest, Prix de Belgique, and was second in Criterium de Vitesse de la Côte d'Azur, International Trot (see below*), and third in Grosser Preis von Bayern.

~~*In August 1980, Ideal du Gazeau finished in a dead heat for second with Petite Evander behind Classical Way in the $250,000 Roosevelt International at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, L.I.

However, the following year, Ideal du Gazeau defeated Classical Way in the the $326,000 Prix d'Amerique at suburban Vicennes in January, 1981.

Ideal du Gazeau, trained and driven by Eugene Lefevre, won the 57th renewal of the 1 5/8-mile trot by a length over favored Jorky. Classical Way was third, another length back. Ideal du Gazeau earned $176,000. It was the 14th victory in 23 career races for Ideal du Gazeau.*~~

At age 7, Ideal Du Gazeau was the winner of the Criterium de Vitesse de la Côte d'Azur, Finlandia-Ajo, Gran Premio Delle Nazioni, Prix d'Amerique, Prix de l'Atlantique, Grand Prix du Sud Ouest, Grote Prijs der Giganten, International Trot, and the Åby Stora Pris. He also finished second that same year in the Copenhagen Cup, and was third in Prix de France.

At 8, he was a winner of the Copenhagen Cup, Elitloppet, Gran Premio Delle Nazioni, Prix de Paris, Grand Prix du Sud Ouest, Grosser Preis von Bayern, International Trot, and Åby Stora Pris; finishing second in the Finlandia-Ajo, Prix de France, Grote Prijs der Giganten, and third in Criterium de Vitesse de la Côte d'Azur, and the Prix d'Amerique.

As a 9-year-old, Ideal Du Gazeau was a winner of the Prix d'Amerique and International Trot, and finished second in the Gran Premio Costa Azzurra, Grand Prix du Sud Ouest, and was third in Åby Stora Pris.

After his racing career had ended, Ideal Du Gazeau was exported to Sweden to stand stud. He produced the top trotters Lovley Godiva, Peace On Earth and Ideal du Suede, among others and is the grandsire of Elitloppe winenr Gidde Palema.   Ideal Du Gazeau died in 1998 after having been exported to Germany in 1996.

Ideal Du Gazeau's Career Statistics in North America
Year  Starts/Wins/2nds/3rds      Earnings
1983      2      2       0      0           $175,000
1982       2      1       0      0           $133,000
1981      2      2       0       0           $162,500
1980      14    8       2       1           $393,471
Total    20    13      2       1           $2,744,134