Wilkes-Barre, PA – In 2025, you are named Driver of the Year after recording over 800 victories and $16.7 million in earnings. You drive Tuesday night (March 17) at Yonkers, win twice and hit the board on four other occasions.
So when you wake up Wednesday morning (March 18), and it’s barely 20 degrees outside, what do you do? If you’re Jason Bartlett, you motor to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania and win four qualifying races.
His quickest mile of the chilly session came from the pacer American Cheese, an American Ideal colt who blitzed home in :55.4 – :27 to win in 1:54.1 for trainer Jared Bako. American Cheese is eligible to Pocono’s upcoming Weiss Series, an annual showcase for improving sophomores.
On the trot, Bartlett combined with Blackhawk Zette to overcome the outside post eight and win in 1:55.2 for trainer Bob Baggitt Jr., who shared conditioning honors on the day with two winners from his barn. The other trainer to win twice was Anette Lorentzon, both driven by Bartlett – 3-year-olds Jewels Shadow AS and Captainforlife AS (unfortunately not Weiss-eligible).
Bartlett was given his Driver of the Year trophy at the USHWA Dan Patch Banquet in Florida in February; also going to the podium that night was driver Braxten Boyd as the Rising Star award winner (an honor Bartlett, by the way, captured in 2008). Boyd was right behind Bartlett Wednesday with three victories, including victory with two Weiss eligibles, trotting colt Dilly Hanover and trotting filly Shelooksgoodngreen.
The other Weiss eligible who won on Wednesday was the Always B Miki pacing colt Twin B Thriller, who came from last at the half in going on to win in 1:55.1 for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer Dennis A. Laterza. Twin B Thriller may be among the entrants when the Weiss Series competition kicks off with pacing colt action on Saturday, April 4.
Next Pocono program is Saturday at 1 p.m.; free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.