Gigant Neo

Gigant Neo (born on May 17, 1998) is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Super Arnie out of Clorita Lobell by Speedy Crown.^[1]

His most prestigious victories include Konung Gustaf V:s Pokal (2001), Grand Criterium de Vitesse (2003) and Prix d'Amérique (2006).^[2] At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,596,145.^[3][4] Gigant Neo was trained by Swedish trotting trainer Stefan Melander, and driven by Jorma Kontio, Jean-Michel Bazire, Dominiek Locqueneux, Joseph Verbeeck and trainer Melander himself.^[2][5] Gigant Neo won the 3-year-old of the Year Award in Sweden in 2001.^[6]

Victory in Prix d'Amérique

In 2006, Gigant Neo raced his fourth Prix d'Amérique, arguably the most prestigious trotting event in Europe.^[5][7] He had made attempts to claim the title the three previous years, without success.^[5] He came fairly close in 2005, when he finished second behind French Jag de Bellouet.^[8]

The 2006 Prix d'Amérique was highly dramatic. The field was recalled three times and one horse lost his driver and went loose on the track. Gigant Neo took the lead in the fourth starting attempt. Soon, reigning champion and favourite Jag de Bellouet went up front while second favourite Kazire de Guez was parked outside. In the stretch, Kazire du Guez broke stride and Jag de Bellouet won the race by two lengths before Gigant Neo.^[9]

A little more than a month after the race, it was announced that winner Jag de Bellouet had been disqualified due to a failed doping test. Traces of tolfenamic acid, an anti-inflammatory substance, had been discovered. As a result, Gigant Neo become the new winner of the title and US$600,000, which was the winner's share of the purse in 2006's edition of the richest trotting race in Europe.^[10] Upon getting the news, Gigant Neo's trainer Melander was chocked and reacted by sitting down on a hay bale, just starring straight forward.^[11]

^[3]

References