Jean-Marie Bazire’s exceptional career has always had the Prix d’Amérique as backdrop. When he landed his first Prix d’Amerique back in January 1999 on Jimmy Takter’s US champion mare Moni Maker, he had just lifted his first 1998 Golden Sulky title (Sulky d’Or). While finishing just 10th in 2000, the new millennium was nonetheless one to remember for the man from Le Mans as it was marked by his second champion driver trophy. That was the start of a long series, and in spite of big health problems in 2011 (fracture) and 2012 (a stroke), that didn’t stop him from notching up more. A record-breaking 14 consecutive Golden Sulkies later (making it a total all-time French record of 16), he has not missed a single edition of the Big Event!
In 2003 he was back on the podium when finishing 3rd on Stefan Melander’s Gigant Neo, then a second Amérique win came just a year later thanks to his own charge Késaco Phedo (2004), sporting the illustrious Daniel Wildenstein silks. By returning a very fast 1’12″3/km, he set a new race-record that was to stand for another three years until 2007, the year he grabbed bronze with Kazire de Guez (2007), behind an untouchable Offshore Dream who stormed home in 1’12/km.
Fifth in 2008, he finally returned to the podium as runner-up last year on Franck Leblanc’s Up And Quick in a memorable race bagged by Stefan Hultman’s Maharajah for Sweden. The winner was always nicely tucked in behind Bazire who was caught close home after a daring front-running drive.
This year, he will be teaming up again on the son of Buvetier d’Aunou. Set aside for 9 months right after his win in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris last February, the Quick Star Stable’s 7yo has had just 4 runs since reappearing in November and has been shaping up really nicely in the preps. Running barefoot next Sunday, Up and Quick looks a very tough player and could well provide France’s JMB with a third Big Race win in Europe’s richest harness event.
