Veteran Timoko (9m Imoko-Kiss Me Coulounces) took today’s Gr. II Prix Kerjacques (purse €120,000, 2700 meters, 10 starters) at Paris Vincennes to increase his harness racing career earnings to €4,037,993 with his 29th victory in 84 outings.
Note that Ready Cash retired with earnings of €4,282,300.
The Richard Westerink trained and owner international superstar was off at 2.6/1 and raced on or near the lead throughout and took the field into the legendary Vincennes lane.
The 3/5 favorite hotly contested with Timoko in the stretch and eventually made a miscue under heavy urging when he began traveling in less than a straight line.
His disqualification along with the same for Ustinof du Vivier (5.4/1) and Olmo Holz enabled outsiders to garner good shares of the purse.
17.6/1 Africaine (6f Oiseau de Feux-Italienne) rallied for second driven by Pierre Vercruysse for owner/trainer Jean-Etienne Dubois. 50.6/1 Univers de Pan (8m Kenya du Pont-Gypsilore) and trainer/driver Philippe Daugeard raced well to land third (he appears to be regaining good form) and 50/1 Sierra Leone (10f John Arifant-Une d’Havetot) was fourth for trainer/driver J.W. Hallais with fifth to 70/1 Anette du Mirel (6f Laetenter Diem-Lisa du Mirel) for reinsman Eric Raffin and trainer Anders Lindqvist. The sixth and seventh checks went to Treskool du Caux and Beckman.
Fractions during today’s Prix Kerjacques were modest with the final time 1.12.3kr (1.13.6kr at 1500 meters to go; 1.12.8ikr at 1000 mark and with 500 remaining) being a new race record nevertheless. Now its three weeks for Timoko until the Elitloppet.
Race replay follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy1b4GUIqN8
Timoko had previously earned and accepted an Elitloppet invitation.
Thomas H. Hicks