The impressive winning streak of trotting sensation Bold Eagle came to end on Sunday in the long-distance Prix de Paris at Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes.
As expected, Timoko (Björn Goop) was sent to the front of the 2-1/2 mile event, with Bold Eagle (Franck Nivard) content to stalk from the outside behind Lionel (Ôrjan Kihlström) first over. Bird Parker (Jean Philippe Monclin) made an early move to wrestle command from Timoko, with Goop content to sit the pocket.
The field continued in little movement for the majority of the race until the final turn, when Nivard made his three-wide move for the lead with Bold Eagle. He was able to clear Lionel and then front Bird Parker, but Kihlström had yet to ask Lionel for his best stride.
In the stretch, Bold Eagle found himself facing Lionel's challenge and couldn't hold him off. Lionel managed to hit the wire just less than a length ahead of Bold Eagle with Tagada Tagada (Mathieu Abrivard) closing well for third.
France's Fabrice Souloy trains Lionel (Look de Star - Aurora Sign) for owner Gøran Antonsen. His pedigree contains some bloodlines familiar to Canadian harness racing fans as his dam is sired by Smokn Lantern (Pine Chip - Armbro Lantern - Dream Of Glory).
Bold Eagle was aiming to be the first five-year-old and fourth horse ever to win the three big trotting events during the Winter meet in France -- the Prix d'Amerique, the Prix de France and the Prix de Paris. The win would have garnered Bold Eagle a $210,000 winner's share of the purse plus a $325,000 bonus.
This will reportedly be Bold Eagle's final race before Summer 2016 as he'll report for stallion duty.