Imagine a self-sustaining horse racing industry where there are no stakes payments, handle fuels the entire engine and the horse is King (or Queen if you prefer). While it may be hard to believe for those in North America, this model actually exists some 3,500 miles and one large ocean away. The location is France and after a week-long tour of the breeding and racing scene from Normandy to Paris, it is crystal clear that for every similarity with North America there are also stark differences. Starting at the beginning on the breeding side, the focus of LeTROT, basically the central authority of everything horse-related in France, is to always improve the French Trotting breed. Stallions are limited to breeding to 100 French mares and every mare must come to the location of the stallion and be inseminated within an hour of collection of the specimen. It is permitted to breed to mares outside of France but those horses would not be permitted to compete in the majority of races in France. Only one-sixth of the races in the country are for horses from other regions. This in a way resembles the Sire Stakes system in North America where horses must be bred by a stallion in a specific state or province -- and in some cases mares must be located in that state -- in order for foals to be eligible to compete. While in the United States a stallion is limited to 140 mares and in Canada there is no maximum number, French officials limit the numbers to keep the population down and in an effort to produce the best possible horses. That is of course ironic considering the much talked about horse shortage issues faced in North America. This is one of the reasons why Preferred Equine Online is working with the United States Trotting Association and LeTROT to launch a pilot auction where French-bred trotters (there are no pacing races in France) will be sold online to prospective North American buyers. "The most important thing is to represent quality. [LeTROT] will have an inspection team, veterinarians, and multiple judges look at the horses before they are offered for sale," said Preferred's Dave Reid, who felt North American buyers will figure out the process over time. "It is going to be a learning curve. I assume when people started importing pacers from Down Under they had that same problem because they have longer distance races, they race older, etc. So the same thought process will have to happen. "It is now more acceptable to bring a pacer from New Zealand or Australia to North America because they have proven worthy of the trip. If a French trotter can provide worthy, it will be successful and you'll see more." Limits on the number of mares bred is not the only restriction on breeders in France. A mare can't be bred until she is 4 years old and even then she must be a winner to qualify or she will have to wait until age 5. With a system set up to encourage racing as older horses, it is the norm for stallions to not only do double-duty (racing and breeding) but do so very successfully. Though, new stallions must prove themselves with their yearlings before breeding a full book of mares. One of the issues in France is that the French book is closed in terms of bringing in new and fresh blood, which means dominant stallions like Ready Cash, who stands for upwards of 50,000 Euros, are becoming too commonplace in the pedigree lines and fewer options are available for new mares. That could be where a U.S. stallion would come in handy for the future, as even one new horse could reintroduce a completely new bloodline to increase the options for decades. A similar trial took place back in the 1980's as U.S. stallions like Workaholic and Speedy Crown can be found a few generations back in the pedigrees of the French trotter. Feelings are clearly mixed among breeders in France whether there is an immediate need to introduce new blood into the breed. Many of those encountered during the tour felt it was inevitable, with one uttering that "If they don't open up the stud book we will be in trouble in five years." One certainty is that any change is probably at least 18 months away and perhaps closer to years from occurring. Of course, after a horse is bred they must be brought along to become a racehorse and few facilities can top that of trainer Sebastien Guarato, who has four different farms where horses are brought along. The process is like that of a Major League Baseball player going from Single A to the Pros. The ultimate goal is to reach the fourth training ground where Sebastien spends most of his time. To accomplish that feat horses must undergo a special test. Upon arrival to Guarato's final preparation site, where horses that are competing regularly train, the prospective racehorse must train four times on a unique 1000-meter, somewhat straight (the track - pictured to the right - has bends to make horses go left or right but not actual turns) track that begins with a 10% incline and decreases to 3% to 4% along the way. The uphill trips must be fast and the downhill ones slow. If a horse survives the test they move forward. If not, back to the minor leagues (other farm) they go. The surface of the track itself looks somewhat like The Red Mile with perhaps more of a sand base. It is one of many on the Guarato properties and it is commonplace to find multiple surfaces at just about every training center or farm you visit in France. There were ovals ranging from a 330-meter covered one (great for the rain) up to a 2000-meter straight track. Surfaces ranged from sand to dirt to more of a stone-dust type to grass. "Horses love the grass track," said Thierry Duvaldestin, who trains 70 horses and 40 2-year-olds. "Only the best horses go on it. It is good for mentality of the horses." Apart from the trainers and breeders who own their own land, LeTROT operates Grosbois Training Center which covers over 1,500 acres of land to offer individuals a place to live and train. The facility includes housing structures, barns, many tracks and paths for the horses, a school for those 14 and up to learn about the sport, a veterinary clinic, and more. The location houses some 80 trainers and 600 to 1,000 horses depending on the time of year. While in many cases trainers charge a lower daily rate to owners in France (one mentioned $38 a day), that is made up by the fact that they receive 15% of the purse when their horses get a check, compared to 5% in North America. That sum adds up quickly since the average purse in France is $20,000 compared to $12,305 in 2021 at U.S. pari-mutuel tracks. It is also worth noting that the top seven get paid in each race in France compared to the top five in North America (though some stakes in North America pay a small percentage to horses which finish sixth or worse). While training techniques are certainly dissimilar from France to North America, when it comes to launching the careers of horses, the timing is only slightly different. Two-year-olds begin to race in June on this side of the Atlantic Ocean while French trotters start August 1. Though, 2-year-olds race for much more money in North America. Only 1.8% of the total purse money in France goes to rookie trotters while approximately that percentage is distributed in the U.S. through the Sire Stakes system alone. Perhaps the most glaring difference between France and North America comes on the wagering side of the business. Betting handle, which checks in at approximately 5 billion euros annually from trotting races, triple that of U.S. Standardbred wagering, completely supports the French system of racing. While there are stakes races like the Prix d'Amerique and major racing days (June 26 at Vincennes had nine races for 1.405 million euros), these are not funded by breeder and owner payments but by wagering. Imagine that on the June 26 card the Pick 5 handled more than 5 million euros and the total was considered disappointing. Everything that is done from a wagering standpoint revolves around what will be best for handle. LeTROT's Technical Director Guillaume Maupas stressed that lots of thought goes into which race works best at which time. In other words, analytics are studied for how much people wager on a 3-year-old race versus a race for older horses and the races are arranged to maximize profits. Unlike in North America, races are also staggered between tracks to ensure the highest possible handle. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter The handle not only supports racing but comes from a completely different stream than in North America. Only 23% of total wagering comes from online sources in France as more than 10,000 betting shops (basically Off Track Betting locations) account for the majority of handle. Most U.S. tracks report north of 90% of handle coming from online outlets. Additionally, while North American tracks in the U.S. keep approximately 3% of each bet from that 90% total of online wagers, the French system has LeTROT keeping six to seven times more than that on all wagers. Thus, that explains why wagering in France can support the sport. Presentation is a huge part of the success of racing in France and when you visit the marquee track in Paris (Vincennes), you can't help but marvel at the facility, equipment and attention to detail. On a normal day 13 cameras cover the racing action and on June 26 they had 25 cameras including four mobile units, a travelling wire cam and two drones under the watchful eye of the production team. The media coverage was intense as multiple photographers and reporters could be seen in the paddock and on the track covering the participants for the live broadcast and other publications. Interviews were conducted with drivers while in the sulky as they were heading to the track from the paddock, which is nicely located right next to the track apron so people can get the up close and personal experience. Topping anything else in terms of marketing and showcasing the sport to fans were paddock tours so people could meet the drivers, trainers and horses. What better way could there be to hook people on harness racing then to let them be part of the experience? Despite the mentioned differences, overall the racing experience was not so disparate to what we are accustomed to in North America. The track was mostly empty on a Friday night without major races but busy on the Sunday afternoon stakes card. There was no real wait to wager on Friday but some lines were six or seven people deep Sunday. The wagering experience in France is quite familiar, with plenty of different exotic options, though the past performance program certainly lacks the detailed information a bettor from North America is used to seeing. Clearly watching races and keeping studious notes is key. The folks at LeTROT were the most gracious of hosts throughout the trip and are to be lauded not only for their hospitality but their willingness to listen to and exchange ideas. The excursion to France was certainly a learning experience -- hopefully for all -- that will lead to further cooperation between breeds and countries in the years to come.