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Sport	Horse Racing
Name	The Prix d'Amérique
Subtitle	A Million Francs to the Winner
Number	19-16
Info	Winning the Prix d'Amérique is, without doubt, the best way for a halfblooded horse to go down in the history of the greatest turf events, especially the trotting ones. The 53rd Prix d'Amérique was run on 30 January 1977, but it has been in existence since 1920. The reason for the disparity in dates is that it was not held in 1940 and 1941, and that it was run under the name of the Grand Prix d'Hiver from 1942 to 1944. After that it was held for three years on the Enghien track before finally settling at Vincennes. The distance was 2,500 m for all the runners from 1920 to 1928; in 1929 the first handicap, of 50 m, was applied to the illustrious "Uranie", which had won the race three consecutive times, and in 1930 the classic distance of 2,600 m was adopted. From 1960, handicaps of 25 m were applied to previous winners, and of 50 m to those who had won the race twice or more, but the handicaps were scrapped in 1965. Whether it is because the race course is in the park of Vincennes Castle, opened there on 2 April 1781 (it was closed down during the Second Empire and was re-opened on 7 September 1879, and used solely for trotting from that day on), or not, the fact is that the honors list of the Prix d'Amèrique is a regal one. For this big-draw event attracts the most sought-after drivers, such as the Frenchman Jean-René Gougeon, nicknamed "Mister Trotting" because of his ability to make trotting into an art form. He has won the Prix d'Amérique five times: in 1966, 1968, 1975, 1976 and 1977, thus getting close to the record of six wins held by Alexandre Finn and set between 1924 and 1951. After "Uranie" (1926, 1927, 1928), "Roquépine" was first past the post in three consecutive years (1966, 1967,1968) just like "Bellino II". There is one famous name which is, nevertheless, missing from the winners' list: that of "Une de Mai", several times placed but never a winner! THE PRIX D'AMÉRIQUE The ten most recent driven by: winners: 1968 "Roguepine" Jean-René Gougeon 1969 "Upsalin" Louis Sauvé 1970 "Toscan" Michel-Marcel Gougeon 1971 "Tidalium Pelo" Jean Mary 1972 "Tidalium Pelo" Jean Mary 1973 "Dart Hanover" Berndstedt Lindstedt 1974 "Delmonica Hanover" Hans Fromming 1975 "Bellino H" Jean-René Gougeon 1976 "Bellino H" Jean-René Gougeon 1977 "Bellino II" Jean-René Gougeon
Photo Info	At Vincennes, and in sight of the post
Copyright	© 1978, Editions Rencontre S.A., Lausanne Photo P. Bertrand - A.P.R.H. Printed in Italy 03 005 19-16