by John Manzi, for the NAADA

Monticello, NY — On July 20, before the World Cup of Amateur Racing began at France’s Cabourg Race Course, the drivers were paraded around a packed grandstand on the backs of U.S.-made Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Alan Schwartz is currently in fifth place in the World Cup.

In the first World Cup event that evening, U.S. representative Alan Schwartz’s mount Quelle Classe went off at odds of 18-1 and finished second in the race won by Prieure, who was driven by the Spanish rep, Carlos-Alberto Cruellas Munar.

Schwartz’s horse in the second contest was No Regrets, a trotter that was disqualified (because of breaking) in five of his last six starts. And during the race Schwartz said the trotter was locked on the left line and once again did his thing by going off stride.

However, after the first two legs Schwartz is fifth in the standings behind Spain’s Cruellas Munar. Second is Romain Poree of host France and third is Cristian Mayr of Austria. Finland’s Juha Kulin is in fourth place.

“Tomorrow’s races don’t fare much better for our guy as he drew two very longshots but the USA is used to adversity and will make every effort to overcome the six and 10 hole in the 1-3/4 miles events,” said Joe Faraldo, the president of the North American Amateur Drivers Association who is accompanying Schwartz in France.

“Like yesterday’s description of Schwartz’s first and second mounts; they don’t seem to have much of a chance but U.S. Marines, of which Alan was one, don’t shy away from adversity — they meet it head on,” Faraldo bristled.

According to Faraldo the day’s events for Wednesday, July 21, include lunch, a bus tour around Paris, a trip to the Eiffel Tower and a dinner trip along the Seine. The races on Thursday (July 22) will be at the racecourse at Reims and will be the third and fourth legs of the tournament.

“Prior to the races that day the entire group will have a trip to the factory of Moet e Chandon for a little bubbly. Then after the races in Reims everyone will have dinner and a trip back to the Concorde De Lafayette Hotel in the city centre,” Faraldo added.

Below is the current World Cup leaderboard.

1-Cruellas Munar-Spain-14-11=25
2-Poree-France-10-14=24
3-Mayr-Austria-11-12=23
4-Kulin-Finland-7-7=14
5-Schwartz-USA-12-1=13
6-Pilenberg-Sweden-8-5=13
7-Makarevich-Russia-5-8=13
8-Kriechbaumer-New Zealand-9-3=12
9-Jessen-Denmark-1-10=11
10-Felber-Switzerland-1-9=10
11-Van Pollaert-Belgium-6-4=10
12-Pogel-Germany-1-6=7
13-Turbucz-Hungary-1-1=2