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Thursday, April 23, 2015

VIVA LA FRANCE; FRANCE’S ROMAIN POREE WINS BOTH FRIENDSHIP RACES AT MONTICELLO RACEWAY; ONE PAYS $205.00

By john manzi for NAADA

After the first leg of the North America Amateur Drivers Association-sponsored, France vs. USA International Driving Competition,  which was held at Yonkers Raceway on Tuesday(April 21),the American team had vaulted to the lead on the strength of a wire to wire triumph by America’s Monica Banca.

After the day was over and all involved were breaking bread together, Joe Faraldo, chided to France’s Romain Poree that the US team was ahead by  seven points.

“We’re not worried, “Poree told Faraldo. Like good wine we French get better with age.”

And did they ever.

On Wednesday afternoon, April 22 in the second leg of the contest held  at Monticello Raceway, Poree,a racing journalist and son of a professional harness trainer, put on a driving clinic winning both races in the France-U.S.A Friendship Competition and with one horse, a pacer by the name of Bay Street, returned a $205.00 win payoff.

It also happened to be the first time that Poree had ever driven a pacer, or as he called him "an ambler”. For the record, only trotters are raced in Europe.

Amateur World Champion in 2010 and French Champion in 2009, Poreewas perhaps more at home behind trotter, Wheres the Clicker, whom he guided to victory in the other contest event.

But his triumph from the eight- hole with Bay Street had the railbird’s eyes wide open.

After falling into sixth position on the first turn Poree and Bay Street were content to follow the leaders.  They were sixth at the quarter; seventh at the half and eighth and last as they passed the third stanza.

 But on the final turn Poree moved his charge wide and in the lane they came on like gangbusters-seemingly out of nowhere- and at the wire they had collared the betting favorite Spencer B and USA  teamster Alan Schwartz,in a mile timed in 2:00.2. France's Sophie Blanchetiere, with Caviart Jett, made it a three-horse photo but they were on the short end and had to settle for third place.

Bay Street paid a whopping $205.00-$53.00 and $14.00 across the board. The pacer is owned by Ruth Ingham and trained by Vernon James.

In the other division Poree showed  great driving ability when he kept a fractious Where’s The Clicker well off the gate as the field began motion and then eased his charge up to his pole position and they got away trotting.

Despite the horse’s purported shenanigans, Where's The Clicker went off asthe betting favorite in the race.

After a :29.2 first panel, set by Candid Man, driven by fellow Frenchmen Christophe Roszak, the pace slowed as the field approached the halfway point. So Poree moved his trotter first-up and was alongside the leader in a 1:02 half. 

Where's The Clipper cleared Candid Man after the three quarters, Poree  then braced for a hard charging Chuckie B, and driver Alan Schwartz. However, Poree’s charge kicked ina 29.1 final stanza and they cruised to a three-length triumph over Schwartz’s trotter in a time of 2:03.1. Candid Man held on for the show dough.

The winner, owned by Mike Simons and Cary Greenberg, paid$.80 for win. Mike’s son Shawn Simons is the trainer of record.

Living up to words expressed by Roman Poree on the first day of the competition France went from seven behind to lead their American counterparts by seven points after two days were in tghe books.

And as the point totals were being tallied, Poree turned to Faraldo and said; ““I told you we’d get better before it’s over.”

With Thursday relegated to a sight-seeing bus tour of New York City, the final leg of the Friendship Competition will be held at the Meadowlands on Friday (April 24).