by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

At present, no French trotter seems better over the mile than the 6-year-old Timoko.

On Saturday afternoon (June 29), Timoko, with top driver Jos Verbeeck in the bike, went to post as the heavy favorite in the Prix de Washington at the Enghien track in the outskirts of Paris.

Timoko, who finished third in the prestigious Elitlopp a month ago and back in March won the biggest mile race in France, the Grand Criterium de Vitesse at Cagnes sur Mer, proved once again that he’s the reigning king over the mile in France.

Timoko won handily in 1:53.2, followed by Reve de Beylev, The Best Maddrik and Main Wise AS, who fought hard to take the spot nearest to Timoko.

Timoko is trained and owned by Dutch born Richard Westerink, who decided to leave the driving to Jos Verbeeck earlier this year. That move has been a wise one.

The purse for the winner Saturday afternoon was $70,000.

So far Timoko has won $560,000 with Verbeeck in the bike since mid-February.