| Class: | Group One International |
| Horse Race: | Gran Premio Lotteria |
| Location: | Agnano Racetrack, Naples, |
| Inaugurated: | 1951 |
| Race Type: | Harness race for standardbred trotters |
| Distance: | 1,600 meters (0.99 mile) |
| Track: | Left-handed 1,000 meter track (0.62 mile) |
| Qualification: | Age 4 and up |
| Purse: | ≈US$795,000 (€600,600) |
Gran Premio Lotteria, or Gran Premio della Lotteria, or in short, Lotteria, is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Agnano Racetrack in Naples, Italy.[1] The competition, which was inaugurated in 1951, is regarded as one of the most prestigious international events in trotting.[2] The winner is decided through three qualifying heats and a subsequent final later the same day. Both the eliminations and the final are raced over 1,600 meters.[3] Gran Premio Lotteria is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €600,600, equalling approximately US$795,000.[4] The fastest winning time in the history of the race is 1:10.5, run by Timone Ek in 2017.
Gran Premio Lotteria is decided through three elimination heats, followed by a final. The first three trotters of each elimination progress to the final, which is run later the same day. There is also a consolations race for the competitors that do not succeed in qualifying for the final.[5]
The distance was, during the first seven years, 1,700 meters. This was shortened to 1,680 meters in 1959. In 1976 the distance was further decreased, to today's 1,600 meters. With the exceptions of 1951, 1952 and 1956, the race have always been started by the use of auto start.[3]
Swedish stallion Opal Viking, trained by Nils Enqvist and driven by Björn Goop, was betting favourite, followed by Oiseau de Feux, Algiers Hall and Ghibellino.[6]
Algiers Hall went to the front and driver Roberto Vecchione chose to keep the lead when favourite Opal Viking announced an interest to take it over. Oiseau de Feux followed as third and the pace was very slow. In the stretch, Island Effe and Ghibellino came from behind to claim the first and second place, respectively. Oiseau de Feux overtook Opal Viking to reach third, while the Swedish favourite finished fourth.[7] [8]
Island Effe became the first Italian mare to win the event. The winning time for the Italian 5-year-old mare after Lemon Dra, was 1:57.1 (mile rate)/1:12.9 (km rate). The winner's purse was US$275,000.[3] [9]
| Year | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Winning horse's native country | Winning time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Zacon Gio | Roberto Vecchione | Holger Ehlert | 1:10.5 | ||
| 2019 | Bel Avis | Jean Michel Bazire | Jean Michel Bazire | 1:11.3 | ||
| 2018 | Urlo dei Venti | Enrico Bellei | Gennaro Casillio | 1:10.8 | ||
| 2017 | Timone Ek | Enrico Bellei | Philippe Billard | 1:10.5 | ||
| 2016 | Oasis Bi | Johnny Takter | Stefan P.Pettersson | 1:10.7 | ||
| 2015 | Vincennes | Roberto Andreghetti | Fabrice Souloy | 1:11.8 | ||
| 2014 | Mack Grace Sm | Roberto Andreghetti | Antonio Porzio | 1:11.1 | ||
| 2013 | Mack Grace Sm | Roberto Andreghetti | Lucio Colletti | 1:11.3 | ||
| 2012 | Mack Grace Sm | Roberto Andreghetti | Lucio Colletti | 1:11.8 | ||
| 2011 | Libeccio Grif | Marco Smorgon | Marco Smorgon | 1:12.8 | ||
| 2010 | Italiano | Gaetano Di Nardo | Enrico Bellei | 1:11.3 | ||
| 2009 | Island Effe | Pietro Gubellini | Edoardo Gubellini | 1:12.9 | ||
| 2008 | Gambling Bi | Fabrice Souloy | 1:11.3 | |||
| 2007 | Exploit Caf | Fabrice Souloy | 1:12.0 | |||
| 2006 | Malabar Circle Ås | Andrea Guzzinati | Jerry Riordan | 1:12.1 | ||
| 2005 | Digger Crown | 1:13.0 | ||||
| 2004 | Legendary Lover K. | Enrico Bellei | Gunnar Christiansen | 1:12.5 | ||
| 2003 | 1:12.7 | |||||
| 2002 | Giampaolo Minucci | Jori Turja | 1:10.8 | |||
| 2001 | Varenne | Giampaolo Minucci | Jori Turja | 1:12.6 | ||
| 2000 | Varenne | Giampaolo Minucci | Jori Turja | 1:12.4 | ||
| 1999 | Remington Crown | Joseph Verbeeck | Jan Kruithof | 1:11.1 | ||
| 1998 | Kramer Boy | Johnny Takter | Johnny Takter | 1:14.1 | ||
| 1997 | Wesgate Crown | Enrico Bellei | Raz Mackenzie | 1:12.4 | ||
| 1996 | Crowning Classic | Mauro Baroncini | Mauro Baroncini | 1:12.4 | ||
| 1995 | Helen A. Johansson | Kjell P. Dahlström | 1:13.1 | |||
| 1994 | Uconn Don | Andrea Baveresi | Andrea Baveresi | 1:13.7 | ||
| 1993 | Embassy Lobell | Wim Paal | Wim Paal | 1:12.8 | ||
| 1992 | Bravur Sund | Mauro Baroncini | Mauro Baroncini | 1:12.7 | ||
| 1991 | Peace Corps | 1:14.0 | ||||
| 1990 | Evann C. | Björn Lindblom | Björn Lindblom | 1:12.9 | ||
| 1989 | Hollyhurst | Lorenzo Baldi | Lorenzo Baldi | 1:13.2 | ||
| 1988 | Grades Singing | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | 1:12.8 | ||
| 1987 | Limbo Joe | Vittorio Guzzinati | Vittorio Guzzinati | 1:13.9 | ||
| 1986 | Classy Rogue | William Casoli | William Casoli | 1:14.8 | ||
| 1985 | Evita Broline | Berndt Lindstedt | Berndt Lindstedt | 1:13.9 | ||
| 1984 | The Onion | 1:14.1 | ||||
| 1983 | Keystone Patriot | Veijo Heiskanen | Antti Savolainen | 1:15.6 | ||
| 1982 | Our Dream of Mite | Eduardo Gubellini | Eduardo Gubellini | 1:14.7 | ||
| 1981 | Contingent Fee | Mario Rivara | Mario Rivara | 1:16.2 | ||
| 1980 | Hillion Brillouard | Philippe Allaire | Philippe Allaire | 1:13.8 | ||
| 1979 | The Last Hurrah | Vivaldo Baldi | Vivaldo Baldi | 1:14.9 | ||
| 1978 | The Last Hurrah | Vivaldo Baldi | Vivaldo Baldi | 1:14.5 | ||
| 1977 | Wayne Eden | Anselmo Fontanesi | Anselmo Fontanesi | 1:14.7 | ||
| 1976 | Bellino II | Jean-Rene Gougeon | Jean-Rene Gougeon | 1:15.2 | ||
| 1975 | Dimitria | Leopold Verroken | Leopold Verroken | 1:16.1 | ||
| 1974 | Top Hanover | Gerhard Krüger | Gerhard Krüger | 1:17.7 | ||
| 1973 | Lightning Larry | Eduardo Gubellini | Eduardo Gubellini | 1:16.5 | ||
| 1972 | Amyot | Louis Sauvé | Louis Sauvé | 1:16.8 | ||
| 1971 | Une de Mai | Jean-Rene Gougeon | Jean-Rene Gougeon | 1:16.7 | ||
| 1970 | Une de Mai | Jean-Rene Gougeon | Jean-Rene Gougeon | 1:16.6 | ||
| 1969 | Une de Mai | Jean-Rene Gougeon | Jean-Rene Gougeon | 1:16.6 | ||
| 1968 | Eileen Eden | Johannes Frömming | 1:16.5 | |||
| 1967 | Roquepine | Jean-Rene Gougeon | Henri Levesque | 1:16.4 | ||
| 1966 | Cheer Honey | Gerhard Krüger | Gerhard Krüger | 1:16.7 | ||
| 1965 | Elma | Jonel Chyriacos | 1:16.5 | |||
| 1964 | Hurst Hanover | Giancarlo Baldi | Giancarlo Baldi | 1:16.7 | ||
| 1963 | Behave | Sergio Brighenti | Sergio Brighenti | 1:16.4 | ||
| 1962 | Tornese | Sergio Brighenti | Sergio Brighenti | 1:16.8 | ||
| 1961 | Kracovie | Roger Vercruysse | Roger Vercruysse | 1:17.0 | ||
| 1960 | Nievo | Ugo Bottoni | Ugo Bottoni | 1:17.5 | ||
| 1959 | Icare IV | Walter Baroncini | Walter Baroncini | 1:16.7 | ||
| 1958 | Tornese | Sergio Brighenti | Sergio Brighenti | 1:17.9 | ||
| 1957 | Tornese | Mario Santi | Sergio Brighenti | 1:18.5 | ||
| 1956 | Gelinotte | 1:17.8 | ||||
| 1955 | Birbone | Vivaldo Baldi | Vivaldo Baldi | 1:18.6 | ||
| 1954 | Saint Clair | Oduardo Baldi | Oduardo Baldi | 1:19.4 | ||
| 1953 | Birbone | Vivaldo Baldi | Vivaldo Baldi | 1:18.5 | ||
| 1952 | Birbone | Vivaldo Baldi | Vivaldo Baldi | 1:18.6 | ||
| 1951 | Bayard | Ugo Bottoni | Ugo Bottoni | 1:20.3 |