Belina Josselyn wins the Prix de Belgique

Belina Josselyn (9f Love You-Lezira Josselyn) took today’s Prix de Belgique (Gr. II International, purse 110,000€, 2850 meters, 15 starters) reined by her trainer Jean Michel Bazire for owner/breeder Yvan Bernard. Belina, the 2019 Prix d’Amerique winner, won for the 22^nd time in 71 career starts now for 2,335,470€ earned.

She emerged from second tier positioning with over 500 meters remaining and covered her last 500 in 1.10kr. She was off at 2.5/1 odds and bested 2.8/1 Enino du Pommereux (6m Coktail Jet) with Matthieu Abrivard up for trainer Sylvain Roger and owner Noel Lolic that was clocked also in 1.12.6kr.

The 62/1 Davidson du Pont (7m Pacha du Pont) was third with Franck Ouvrie up for trainer JMB and owner/breeder Albert Rayon. 23/1 Erming d’Oliverie (6f Scipion du Goutier) was fourth for pilot Adrian Lamy and trainer Franck Leblanc. The next three to the line were 35/1 Delia du Pommeruex (7f Niky), 62/1 Looking Superb (7m Orlando Vici), also a JMP trainee, and 6/1 Uza Josselyn (9f Love You) that rallied after being shuffled almost to the end, She was clocked in 1.12.9kr that illustrates the competitiveness of this field.

To see the race replay, click here.

Belina Josselyn and Enino du Pommereux join the 10 horses previously qualified in the six qualifying races leading to the Prix d'Amerique that began in 1920 and has been raced in each year thereafter except two years during WWII when Vincennes was used as a military camp.

The Prix d'Amerique (created to honor America’s efforts to save France in World War I) to be held January 26 will have 18 starters with invites to follow the 12 now qualified. One could be the January 19 Prix du Cornulier winner, this the Gr. I 650,000€ purse monte classic.

Today’s Prix de Belgique was the Q+ race of the day with a special 1,000,000€ tireline (bonus). The exact order payoff was 105,369.20€ paid to 20 winning ticketholders. The Q+ pool was 5,896,091€ and over 11,669,000€ was wagered on the race (all wagers).

Havana d’Aurcy takes Prix Gelinotte Wedge Institiute

Groupe action began this day with the Gr. II Prix Gelinotte Wedge Institute (purse 100,000€, 2700 meters, three-year olds) and the 9/10 favorite Havana d’Aurcy (3f Royal Dream-Avila) prevailed handily for trainer/driver Jean Michel Bazire and owner Cyril Lelarge. Havana scored for the fourth time in eight career starts now for131,700€ earned. Race time was 1.16.2kr.

The 44/1 Hora Beji (3f Ni Ho Ped d’Ombree) was second for Franck Nivard and 4.4/1 Heroine Darling (3f Brillantissime-Rapid Darling) rallied nicely to be third for pilot Matthieu Abrivard, trainer Kevin Vanderschelden and owner Jean Pierre Dubois. Of note, yesterday in the US the Dubois champion mare Crys Dream foaled a Tactical Landing filly.

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink