January 8, 2017 – 17.1/1 Doberman (4m Prodigious-Quietude Mesloise) trained and reined by Franck Nivard, for owner Richard Cohen, won the €120,000, 2175 meters, Prix Crack Series 2016 for harness racing three-year-olds in a blanket finish. The winner now has €254,230 in career earnings. 5.3/1 Diego du Guelier (4m Kepler-Ophelie la Garenne) was a head back in second for Mathieu Mottier driving for owner/trainer Denise Mottier. Third was Draft Life (4f Ubriaco-Maflymede) at 6.6/1 for Eric Raffin and owner/trainer Louis Baudron. The most favored Django Riff (4m Ready Cash) was fifth at 1.1/1 odds and Dollar Macker (4m Saxo de Vandel) ended fourth at 4.3/1, both of these trainer by Philippe Allaire.
Today’s Quinte+ was the Prix-Cracks des Cracks 2016 for a purse of €88,000 over 2100 meters autostart. The impressive winner was 1.2/1 Call Me Keeper (7m Pine Chip-Eliza Keeper), trained by Daniel Reden for Stall Zet, and reined by Pierre Vercruysse. Fractions were steady with the finish in 1.11.5kr (1.09.1kr at 1500 to go; 1.10.1kr at the 1000; 1.11.7kr with 500 remaining).
The winning pair reached the front at the halfway point and easily handled this field to score for the 10th time, now with career earnings of €476,890. Arazi Boko (10g Varenne-Laura Kemp) at 5.1/1 was second for driver J-M Bazire and 9/1 Beau Gamin (6m Quinoa du Gers-Cadette) landed third for Eric Raffin. Akido (7g Love You) and Orient Horse (9m Abano As) took the fourth and fifth spots.
Thomas H. Hicks