Bartlett steers a winner in World Driving Championship
June 12, 2013,by Darryl Kaplan, Standardbred Canada
Angers, France — Jason Bartlett of the United States found room in the long stretch of Angers Racecourse to capture the first victory for North America in the World Driving Championship on Wednesday afternoon (June 12).
Jason and Kristen Bartlett celebrate in the winner’s circle with the connections of TA Presence.
Bartlett, driving the 6-year-old mare TA Presence, sat last for most of the 2,350 meter race. As the field turned into the stretch, he moved the 40-1 longshot between horses and passed all 11 rivals along the inside.
“She had a little trouble in the turns, so I had to wait on her,” said Bartlett. “When she got in the stretch, she took right off. My wife (Kristen) said, ‘who’s this guy flying up the inside’ and it was me.”
Bartlett’s win came in the third leg of the World Driving Championship, in the final race of the day.
“The track here has an uphill climb in the stretch,” he said. “The trainer told me that she’s not on her game right now and to watch her. I almost lost her in the third turn, but she’s a big mare, and once we straightened out going up the hill, she picked up and everything went right.”
Both Bartlett and Canada’s Trevor Henry drove only longshots on the card.
Henry’s best finish also came in the final dash of the program. Fanning wide in the stretch, he finished fifth.
Darryl Kaplan photos
Jason Bartlett and Trevor Henry are the North American representatives in the World Driving Championship.
“She was trotting pretty well, but these horses just plod along,” he said. “I put her into the middle of the track and she finished okay.”
In the other races of the day, Denmark’s Rene Kjaer captured two victories, while Bjorn Goop of Sweden and Austria’s Gerhard Mayr each picked up wins.
Following the third leg of the WDC, Bartlett has vaulted into sixth place with 91 points. France’s Pierre Vercruysse leads the overall event with 158 points, ahead of Goop and Mayr. Henry, who trails the field after four days, is looking for better luck and better horses Thursday.
The WDC will move to Mauquenchy for five races Thursday, and concludes on Saturday with a final dash at Vincennes in Paris.
After three legs, the 2013 World Driving Championship point totals are as follows:
1. Pierre Vercruysse-France-158
2. Björn Goop-Sweden-127
3. Gerhard Mayr-Austria-116
4. Eirik Hoitomt-Norway-109
5. Mika Forss-Finland-98
6. Jason Bartlett-USA-91
7. Rene Kjær-Denmark-90
8. Antonio Frontera Pocovi-Spain-90
9. Enrico Bellei-Italy-89
10. David Butcher-New Zealand-77
11. Neil Day-Australia-68
12. Trevor Henry-Canada-60
- Bartlett tenth in opening round of WDC (Sunday, June 09, 2013)
Champagne corks were popping in the clubhouse at Hippodrome de Reims to celebrate the opening round of the World Driving Championship, contested here in the capital of the Champagne Region of France.
- Bartlett picks up a second in Round 2 of WDC (Monday, June 10, 2013)
It took only one race to determine that day two of the 2013 World Driving Championship would be better for the United States representative, Jason Bartlett, who finished a strong second in the first of four heats raced at the 1-1/4 mile track located only a few furlongs from the Normandy beaches so pivotal to winning World War II.
- Vercruysse locks up WDC; Bartlett aims for third (Thursday, June 13, 2013)
Pierre Vercruysse locked up victory for the home team, guaranteeing himself enough points to win the World Driving Championship for France.
- World Driving Championship concludes in France (Saturday, June 15, 2013)
The day belonged to Italy’s Enrico Bellei, but the World Driving Championship belongs to France’s Pierre Vercruysse.