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2022 to 2024. A few years later came another American stallion: Speedy Crown. Born in 1968, Speedy Crown was a true phenomenon on the track, clocking 1’ 12’’ when Roquépine, born a year earlier, had a record of 1’ 15’’. From his second crop he sired Speedy Somolli, Armbro Goal( sire of the crack Défi d’ Aunou, himself brother to Buvetier d’ Aunou, multiple leading sire, whose sire Royal Prestige was another son of Speedy Crown). Not to forget Workaholic, imported into France after three years at stud in the USA, purchased by the National Stud, and leading sire by wins in 1996, as well as a long-time leading broodmare sire. According to the same 2005 INRA study, the spread of American genes into the French Trotter was achieved mainly through Florestan and his progeny( 33 %) and through Workaholic and his progeny( 17 %).
The Mark of Ready Cash It is impossible to speak of the bloodlines that shaped the French Trotter without mentioning the one often described as the stallion of the century: Ready Cash. The dual Prix d’ Amérique champion proved perhaps even greater at stud than on the track, no easy feat when you have already won two Amériques. Ready Cash belongs to the male line of Star’ s Pride, as a grandson of Viking’ s Way. He is the perfect example of the French-American cross, with 5x5 inbreeding to the American trotters Neve- le Pride and Star’ s Pride( father and son), and a 5x5 inbreeding to Kerjacques, continuer of Conquérant’ s line. Retired to stud at age four, the representative of Haras de Bouttemont climbed in 2016 to the top of the stallion rankings and never left until 2023, the year colic claimed his life. In 2018, his progeny amassed nearly € 9.5 million in earnings, leaving the runner-up stallion € 3.3 million behind! He is, needless to say, the sire of cracks such as Bold Eagle( the richest French trotter in history) and Face Time Bourbon, both dual winners of the Prix d’ Amérique like their sire. He also sired the Swedish champion Readly Express, winner of the 2018 World Trotting Championship, forming an unprecedented one-two with Bold Eagle, never before seen for a stallion. At the end of the 2025 breeding season, 71 stallions in the French Trotter studbook were listed as Ready Cash descendants, covering more than 4,400 mares. There is no doubt that Ready Cash has not finished writing trotting history.
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GERARD PATIN
By Mélodie Janvier
He has been the right-hand man of Jean Cottin’ s“ Goutier” for several decades, but while he is well known in trotting, Gérard Patin first learned his trade during ten years alongside none other than Jean-Luc Lagardère. Galorama: For you, if you had to name just one stallion that has left a mark on trotting genetics, which would it be?
Galorama. For you, if you had to name just one stallion that has left a mark on trotting genetics, which would it be?
Gérard Patin. Inevitably, Ready Cash— there is no way around him. In direct male line, we must now be up to 30 or 35 active stallions. What Haras de Bouttemont has managed to achieve with his sons is extraordinary, and probably even better than Coolmore with Sadler’ s Wells and his sons. Male or female, Ready Cash is“ unfortunately” unavoidable, to the point that it could eventually become problematic when planning matings.
G. Personally, is there a stallion that has impressed you or that you particularly liked?
G. P. Once again, I am obliged to mention Ready Cash, because we have had a lot of
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