Jason Bartlett Reaches 7,000 Career Win Milestone at Yonkers Raceway

Perennial leading driver Jason Bartlett reached the lofty 7,000 career win plateau on July 23rd at Yonkers Raceway. The milestone came behind the favorite I C Caviar ($4.40) in the $11,000, seventh-race trot.

The six-year-old Malabar Millennium gelding, making his first start for trainer Richard Banca, went up and over Me the Boss (Dan Dube) down the backstretch, and defeated 65-1 rank outsider Mr. Protab by a couple of lengths in 1:58.2. The winner is co-owned by Joseph & Vincent Barbera, Allan Alkes and Richard Facciola.

But back to the Yonkers Raceway's "Maine Man," who suffered through an uncharacteristic dry spell (3-for-35) before earning his requisite congratulatory sign.

“Longest three days of my life,” Bartlett said, “I’m so happy it’s over, and the kids are, too. “They were asking me, ‘Daddy, do we have to go to the track again?’

“I was talking with my wife (Kristen) the other day,” Bartlett said. “We’re been down here (Yonkers) close to 10 years now, and when I first came, I was around 2,000 wins.

“It’s been a helluva ride.”

The 36-year-old Bartlett, native of Augusta, ME, has $87.7 million in career purses. He began Sunday leading the locals in wins (297) and purses ($6.1 million).