by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent
For the third time within a week an Italian trotter hit the headlines in Europe. After Ringostarr Trebs won the Olympic Trot and Urlo dei Vento the Lotteria, Traders won the Prix Kerjaques at Vincennes Saturday afternoon (May 5) in a new world record of 1:54 (mile rate) over the 1-11/16th mile distance with a standing start.
The old record was held by Bold Eagle and equaled by Readly Express at 1:54.3.
Traders, driven by Yoann Lebourgeois, won with open lengths followed by Valko Jenilat and Belina Josselyn and Carat Williams, who dead-heated for third.
Traders, who is sired by Ready Cash and has Working Mom by Baltic Speed as his grand dam, must be said to be a complete trotter, as he now holds world records both in the sulky and under saddle.
Earlier this year Traders won the world’s richest under saddle race, The Prix de Cornulier, in 1:54.4 (mile rate) over 1-11/16th miles.
After the impressive win at Vincennes Traders might get an invitation to race in the Elitlopp.
Gerard Forni photo
Pastore Bob won the Finlandia Ajo and is now invited to race in the Elitlopp.
An invitation was handed out to the winner of the Finlandia Ajo at Vermo in Helsinki, Finland. The winner was the 5-year-old Pastore Bob, driven by Johan Untersteiner, who was in command the whole trip. Pastore Bob won in 1:54.1f and the purse of $130,000 nearly doubled his lifetime earnings.
Back to Vincennes, where the biggest race for 4-year-old French trotters, Criterium des 4 Ans, was won by Enino du Pommereux, driven by Jean Michel Bazire, by a head over the favorite, Erminig d’Oliverie, driven by Franck Nivard.
Enino du Pommereux was timed in 1:55.2 (mile rate) over 1-3/4 miles and that is a new French record.
Also, the 5-year-old mare Draft Life, with Eric Raffin in the saddle, was timed in a new French record, as she won an under saddle race in 1:53.2 (mile rate) over 1-5/16th miles.