Article by John Manenti
If, rightly, the Wimbledon Tournament is considered the main seasonal appointment for what concerns Tennis, in the same way, for what concerns Horse Racing – and, in particular, the Trot – similar prestige holds the Prix d’Ameriquea race that takes place on the last Sunday of January at the Vincennes Racecourse, in Paris, over a distance of 2700 meters …
Born in 1920, the Prix d’Amerique is reserved for trotters aged 4 to 11 yearswho have secured prizes for a minimum of 180,000 €uro (from 4 to 6 years) and 250,000 €uro, for those of an older age, demonstrating the elite level of the race whose Roll of Honor therefore, being able taking part in it on multiple occasions, sees several horses having won multiple editions, even if are only four to have crossed the finish line first for three consecutive years, of which Ourasi – which we have already discussed – adds a fourth affirmation in 1990, the only one to have hit a poker of victories.
The first editions already demonstrate that repeating the triumph on the Parisian track is not so difficult, with Pro Patria, led by Th. Monsieur, to win the inaugural tender and the following one in 1921feat equaled by one of the first great interpreters of America, or the bay Passeport who, after placing fifth in 1921 and third in 1922, hits the pairing in the two-year period 1923-’24 and then reaches fifth again in 1925edition won by Ré Mac Gregor, whom he beat the previous year …
And it is at this point that the protagonist of our history today enters the scene, namely Uranie who was born in 1920 in Calvados, owned by Joseph Denis and paternally descended from Bémécourtwhich had also generated the aforementioned Pro Patria, to then be entrusted to the care of Lucien Dufour, who became its coach and driver, leading it to its first success in Rouen in mid-March 1923, to then, the following year, be purchased by François Vanackere.
The successful assignment also entails for Uranie the change of coach and guide, touching the task to the Italian Valentino Capovilla, at the Beauménil Stables, in the Department of l’Orne, it doesn’t take long for him to have at his disposal a filly with immense potential, albeit very difficult to discipline, incurring on several occasions in prolonged breaks, but his patient work pays off in the end, with Uranie becoming practically unbeatable and capable of attracting a large audience at the racetracks whenever it is included in the starting list …
The consecration, for a trotter, however, can only pass from the famous Vincennes track, an appointment at which Uranie appears for the first time in 1926, at the age of 6, having to deal with the aforementioned Ré Mac Gregor, winner of the previous edition, as well as with Roi Albert, who finished in third place in the three-year period 1923-’25, a “king’s floor” very respectable for a race which, at the time, was held over the reduced distance of 2500 metres, but which the filly doesn’t scare too much who, expertly ridden by Capovilla, imposes herself in a time of 1’28”5keeping Tienneval and Ré Mac Gregor at a distance.
Season, that of 1926, which Uranie concludes undefeated, which is why it is almost certain that on Sunday 30 January 1927 all eyes are focused on her to verify whether or not she is able to repeat the success of the previous year, a task that Capovilla’s pupil carries out diligently in front of Templier and again Ré Mac Gregor, despite the fact that the latter has already completed 10 springs, repeating the chronometric result of the previous year, crossing the finish line in 1’28″4 …
Now established at home as the “Queen of the Trot”, Uranie is missing only to record the distance race record, as well as becoming the first in the history of the Prix d’Amerique to win the Trophy for three consecutive years, feat that centers in 1928 preceding Ulysse and Tienneval and also stops the chronometers on the time of 1’25″2 which can no longer be beatengiven that from the following year the distance was increased to 2550 meters, to then be increased to 2600 and 2625 m up to the current 2700.
Obviously, the successes at the Prix d’Amerique represent only the apex of Uranie’s achievements, which makes many other races held in Vincennes his own, as well as winning the European Championship in Italy and also imposes himself in Austria, but his adventure in the most prestigious international trot competition certainly does not end here, given that the following year, in which she was started with a handicap of 75 meters to make the competition more uncertain, she broke just before the finish line to the benefit of Templier e in 1930, at the age of 10, she is still able to counter the success of Amazone B, four years younger and daughter of the twice victorious Passeportcoming in second place…
Which goes to show that, with a little more luck, Uranie – author of a feat that will be replicated only exactly 40 years (1966-’68) after the “legendary” Roquepine – he could have registered his name in the Golden Book of the Prix d’Amerique for even 5 consecutive editions … !!
With all due respect to Ourasi and his trainer Jean-René Gougeon …