French Wine ready to sparkle in $425,000 Hambletonian Maturity

As his name would suggest, the Bar Hopping trotter French Wine, a winner of $1,137,194 lifetime, continues to get better with age. Never one to shy away from a tough contest, the 4-year-old harness racing stallion will take on 11 rivals in tomorrow night’s (July 13) $425,000 Hambletonian Maturity at The Meadowlands (Race 9) for trainer Julie Miller.

“He’s been a classy little guy,” Julie reported from her training base at Gaitway Farm, where she and husband-driver Andy Miller currently condition a stable of 50 horses. “Frenchy loves his job and acts like a professional in his races and he and Andy are like peas and carrots together—they’ve got a great partnership. With 12 horses in that race, and from the 12-hole, it will be a challenge, and no doubt a lively race for Frenchy and Andy.”

Foaled Feb 14, 2020, at Georgetown, Kentucky, French Wine was bred by the Canadian partnership of Marvin Katz & Al Libfeld and owned by the Andy Miller Stable, Daniel and Jean Plouffe, and the One Legend Stable.

“He’s why we do what we do,” Julie explained. “We bought him at Lexington for $120,000. He looked good, he had good confirmation and we liked him when we saw him at Kentuckiana. Plus, Andy had won the Hambletonian Oaks with his mom (Creamy Mimi) and we had had some good luck with Bar Hopping youngsters in the past, so it was kind of no brainer for us to take a shot with him.”

Bar Hopping 3, 1:51.4 ($1,292,433), won ten of 28 career starts and was on the board in 21 of those outings, winning the Breeders Crown Championship for 3-year-old male trotters and the Canadian Trotting Classic in 2016. His first crop, which included Hambletonian Oaks winner Bella Bellini, graced the raceways in 2020. Sadly, he passed away at Hanover Shoe Farms, where he was standing stud, in November 2022.

French Wine’s dam, Creamy Mimi, 3, 1:53.4 ($927,169) is a daughter by Conway Hall. He is the 10th of her 13 foals, making him a half-brother to French Laundry (by Muscles Yankee) 3, 1:52.4 ($652,823); French Café (by Father Patrick) 3, 1:52.3 ($228,331); The Franchise (by Muscles Yankee) 5, 1:56.2f ($149,058); Café Americano (by Father Patrick) 5, 1:55 ($108,709); and to the 2-year-old French Riviera (by Greenshoe) Q2:00.1. He has a full sister in French Souffle 2, 1:58.1 ($15,200).

As a freshman, French Wine won four of ten starts, with one second and a trio of thirds, earning $478,658 for his connections. He was victorious in a $75,816 PASS in 1:55.4 in just his second start, then later won both the first and second $80,000 legs of the Kentucky Championship Series 1:55 and in 1:53.3, before taking the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series Final in 1:53 on Sept. 18, his seasonal record.

“Throughout his career he’s been so consistent,” Julie admitted. “Sometimes when we thought he was going to put in a big race he got a little camera shy, but overall, he just always gives it his best.”

Last year, as a 3-year-old, French Wine added another $628,536 to his coffers, with a 4-6-4 record in 18 starts. He won a $70874 PASS on July 2 in 1:53.3 on the front end and then finished second in his Hambletonian elimination in 1:51.1 to Celebrity Bambino but was eighth in the final.

Three weeks later, however, he rebounded to win a $80,000 KYSS in 1:50—a seasonal and career best—on Aug. 27. He then romped to victory in a $252,000 PASS Championship, timed in 1:51.4 and was second in both the Bluegrass and Kentucky Futurity at Lexington’s Red Mile. He was second in his Breeders Crown elimination and third in the final at Hoosier Park, and then won the $60,000 Star Destroyer at Hoosier on Nov. 17 in 1:52.2. French Wine ended the 2023 season by being second by a nose to Helpfirstedition in the $58,000 Thanksgiving Classic at Hoosier, clocked in 1:53.4 on a chilly night (34 degrees)

This season the little trotter with the big personality has added another $130,000 to his career earnings in just seven starts, with a trio of wins, and two seconds and two thirds. After qualifying at The Meadowlands on March 30 in 1:52.4, he won a KYSS at Oak Grove on April 22 in 1:54.1. In his next start on May 6 in that same series he was a strong second and was then third in the $100,000 KYSS Final at Oak Grove on May 13.

He won a $50,000 KYSS at Oak Grove on May 27 in 1:53.3 and was second in the second leg on June 4. He then scored a 1:51.2 seasonal best effort in a $50,000 leg three of KYSS at Oak Grove on June 17, trotting impressively with a front-end effort by 6½ lengths, before finishing third in the $150,000 KYSS Final on June 25 at Oak Grove.

“I thought he was exceptional at Oak Grove this year,” Julie said. “Those two series that he just completed he hit the board in every start. I’m happy how he began the season in that series and hopefully this kind of performance from him continues.”

The test for French Wine, will not be an easy one—leaving from post 12 in a 12-horse field against the likes of such trotters as recent Graduate winner Winner’s Bet 4, 1:49.3 ($737,217), Special Way 3, 1:51.2 ($1,240,200), or Armbro Flight winner Call Me Goo 4, 1:51.2 ($565,168). But Julie feels he is up to the task.

“Frenchy is just one of those horses who knows what he’s on the track to do,” she said. “And he’s a stunning individual to look at—he’s got a good head and he’s eye-catching to watch. He’s got a big personality and is the type of horse that if you don’t pay attention to him when you walk by his stall, he’ll make sure that he gets you to look at him. He’s always inquisitive and knows what his job is, but he’s playful at the same time and always in a good mood. He likes people and likes to work, and that a good combination.”

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink