Iceland is the newest Elitloppet Champion (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)
This year the Americans had high hopes to win one of the biggest trotting events in Europe, the prestige Elitloppet Race. Lucky Jim, the best older trotter in the USA 2009, traveled to meet the European competition for the first time in his life.

Lucky Jim was the betting favorite to win his elimination, but stars did not line up for the American Team today. Lucky Jim was forced to travel three wide for the most of the race and faded badly in the end with his usual driver Andy Miller in the bike. He finished last and trotted about 1:55.3 mile rate in the Solvalla 5/8 mile track. Definitely not one of the Lucky Jim's best performances.

This first Elimination was won by Ilaria Jet, 6-year-old Italian born daughter of Pine Chip. She is trained by Souloy Fabrice and was driven by French Driving Champion Jean Michael Bazire. Ilaria Jet has earned over 1,1 Million USD on her career so far for her Italian owners.

Triton Sun, one of the brightest stars of the stallion sensation Viking Kronos, finished second for his trainer Stefan Hultman and driver Örjan Kihlström. Stig H Johansson trains the third finalist Nu Pagadi, German born stallion sired by French Love You. Last final spot went for Quarcio du Chene, French bred trotter who won the Finlandia Ajo earlier this year.










Left: Ilaria Jet with Jean Michel Bazire (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)

Right: Torvald Palema (1) winning before Brioni (7), Iceland finishing third (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)











Second elimination did not go any better for the American connections, Enough Talk finished dead last, he was driven by Johnny Takter. Last year's Elitloppet winner Torvald Palema was ready to defend his crown and fought to win this elimination with his usual pilot and trainer Åke Svanstedt. Another German bred trotter called Brioni finished second for his Swedish trainer Joakim Lövgren. Even Brioni's sire Timberland was bred in Germany, his father is half French Coktail Jet, stallion who has left a huge impact to European trotting in recent years.

Iceland was driven on this elimination by Örjan Kihlström who is his normal driver. Last final spot went for the Swedish Media Star Beanie M.M., son of Super Arnie.

On the Final Torvald Palema was the betting choice to win again. Second choice was Triton Sund and Örjan Kihlström was driving him so Iceland needed a new driver.

That driver change turned out to be very successful when Johnny Takter jump on Iceland and never looked back and held the competition behind him winning the race for his ecstatic trainer and part owner Stefan "Photo Tarzan" Melander.

Trainer Stefan Melander and driver Johnny Takter after winning the Elitloppet 2010 (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)

Torvard Palema was close to repeat his victory finishing second and a very fast closing Brioni filled the trifecta. Nu Pagadi and Beanie M.M. snatched the last two money spots.

Iceland is a son of Scarlet Knight, a very special horse for Stefan Melander, he won the Hambletonian in the United States with this stallion. Iceland's dam is unraced daughter of Probe called Grandezza Ri. Iceland himself is a 6-year-old stallion with now 41 lifetime starts and 16 wins. He won the Elitloppet trotting his new lifetime mark 10,5a (1:53.2 MR).

Iceland and Johnny Takter celebrating 2010 Elitloppet Win (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)

Viking Kronos Offsprings Bring the Top Price

The biggest trotting yearling auction in Sweden is kept every year much earlier in the spring than most yearling auctions for the standardbreds in the United States. Selected 100 well bred horses will be accepted to this auction called Elitauktionen. This auction is in Stockholm always right before the biggest racing event in Sweden, the Elitloppet.

The economy has taken its toll and this year 21 of the yearlings presented in the sale returned to their sellers because nobody offered high enough price for them. 12 of horses listed did not show to the ring. Still 67 future trotting hopes did change owners in the yesterday's auction.

The most expensive baby was a colt named Rebellion. He was purchased by Stefan Hultman from Solvalla with a hefty pricetag of 1,010,000 Swedish Crowns (about 130,000 USD). Rebellion is a son of the European super sire Viking Kronos. His dam is an unraced daughter of the Muscles Yankee called Revitalize. The dam is a full sister of the Merrie Annabelle winner Muscovite.

Another colt called Codebreaker changed owners with 720,000 SEK (about 92,000 USD). He is from the first crop of the Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover, and his dam was an exceptional race mare Holleypop with over 1 million Swedish Crowns in earnings, and 16 lifetime wins. Sire of the Holleypop is Malabar Man. Åke Svanstedt from Axevalla, Sweden, bought this colt.

Another horse selling with a decent price tag was a Varenne colt Chuck Boko. Company named Ekbloms Fastigheter AB from Kumla, Sweden, wrote a check for 710,000 SEK (about 91,000 USD), to take him home. His dam is another tough race mare named Sissy Jean Boko, daughter of Epress Ride.

The most expensive filly in the sale was a daughter of the Viking Kronos named Critical Moment. Her dam is also a Muscles Yankee mare, just like the top selling horse in this sale. Critical Moment went to Joakim Lövgren of Jägersro, Sweden. Her price was 520,000 SEK (about 67,000 USD).

28 of the horses sold yesterday went for 100,000 Swedish Crowns or under (about $13,000 or under). I believe these results were quite disappointing for the most of the breeders who brought their horses to this sale.


Rebellion, colt sired by Viking Kronos topped the Eliteauktionen 2010 (Terhi Piispa-Helisten Photo)

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This year French bred trotters showed faster speeds than ever seen before in the Finlandia-Ajo. The "rabbit" for the new race record was Rapide Lebel, son of Ginger Somolli. He was driven by Eric Raffin, and lead most of the way, but stalled when it finally counted finishing 6th and out of the money.

Another French bred horse born in Sweden was the strongest after a great drive by Björn Goop. Quarcio du Chene exploded past his rivals in the final strides and stopped the teletimer in 1:53.3 MR (10,6a), fastest time ever recorded in the 5/8 mile Vermo Racetrack.

Quarcio du Chene is out of the French born stallion Capriccio, son of an Italian Champion Sire Sharif di Iesolo, son of American Quick Song. This horse was born in Sweden, but his dam Indira du Chene, daughter of Workaholic (son of Speedy Crown), has been since exported back to France.

Swedish Stall Lökene AB owns this 6-year-old lightly raced stallion who has now won 15 times in his 34 races lifetime. Finlandia-Ajo is the biggest win on his career. Quarcio du Chene made 110,000 euros (about $145,000) from his winning effort in Finland.

Second money went to German born horse called Brioni, son of Timberland. Brioni is now registered in Sweden and is trained by Joakim Lövgren who also drove the horse. French born mare Premiere Steed trained by Fabrice Souloy finished third. She was piloted by Matthieu Abrivad. Premiere Steed is a 7-year-old daughter of Workaholic.

Pekka Korpi from Finland was able to keep his trainee Express Merett (son of Express It) in front of the lone American horse Enough Talk in the race. Enough Talk really did not have much luck from his hard post position 8. He was forced to race very wide from the backside on with his Canadian driver Luc Ouellette. Enough Talk ended up with 5th place money 5000 euros and his time for the mile was 1:54.1 MR (11,0a).



Quarcio du Chene and his crew celebrating after winning the prestigious Finlandia-Ajo in Finland 2010 (Terhi Piispa-Helisten photo)

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The biggest harness race for the open horses in Europe was contested today in the Vincennes Racetrack in France. One million euros (about 1,385,000 US dollars) in purse money brings the very best horses to the race. The winner gets half of the purse money, 500,000 euros.

This year the morning line favorite was the last year's winner, Meaulnes du Corta. His driver Pierre Levesque did control the pace for the most of the race, and seemed to have it all under control. In the end two longshots attacked the leader forcing Meaulnes du Corta to settle for the third place.

When the dust settled the results were quite a shock to the betting public. Eight-year-old Oyonnax was the winner in his first attempt in this 89th edition of the prestige Prix d'Amerique. He was driven by the French Sebastian Ernault, who also was a first timer in this caliber race. Oyonnax was one of the biggest longshots to win with his odds 172/1.

Sebastian Ernault was quick to mention in the winner circle that he has learned all his driving skills from Pierre Levesque, another frenchman whom he defeated today. Oyonnax has now won 14 times in his 84 starts and has made little over 1,3 million euros so far in his career. Today Oyonnax trotted 12,4a (1:56.3 MR) for the 2700 meter distance.

Oyonnax is sired by In love With You, French born son of Coktail Jet from the American mare Amour d'Aunou (Speedy Somolli). There is even more American blood on his veins from the dam side, dams second sire is US bred Pershing, who was very popular sire in Sweden for years.

Second place this year went for another longshot. Quaker Jet is sired by another son of Coktail Jet, called Love You (not to be confused with In Love With You..). Quaker Yet was driven by Pierre Vercruysse.

The best mare on the race was yet another French horse called Nuba Saptel, finishing fourth for Yves Dreux. German bred Russel November got the fifth place check. Other horses from outside of France did not fare well; Opal Viking from Sweden finished 12th and Ghiaccio del Nord from Italy ended up 13th.

Over 40,000 spectators attended the racetrack today. Along with the big race, there were over 100 musicians and dancers to celebrate this historic race. The Prix d'Amerique was created in 1920 in the memory of American Soldiers engaged in the First World War. Race is open for stallions and mares only, aged four to ten. Geldings are not allowed in.

You can watch the race HERE


Oyonnax won the 2010 Prix d'Amerique (pictured here in 2006)

Same day as the Premio Orsi Mangelli for the colts, fillies had their own division and the winner was Madras trotting 1:57.2 MR. This filly won the Trotting Oaks on her last start and is considered as a best 3-year-old filly in Italy this year.

Madras is sired by the Italian born Zinzan Brooke Tur who made over $1,1 million on the racetrack. This stallion has plenty French blood on his veins, only the sire of his dam is an American bred son of Speedy Somolli called Keyser Lobell.

Dam of Madras is a Swedish born mare Lady Abb, daughter of Pay Me Quick. Lady Abb was herself an excellent racemare winning 28 times and retiring with over $260,000.

American entry Littlemscantbwrong (Yankee Glide) was second in the filly division. She was driven by Finnish Jorma Kontio and is trained by Norwegian Per Henriksen. Mordida Bar (Super Arnie) finished third with Ron Pierce on the bike.


Chestnut filly Madras keeps winning in Italy

One of the biggest races for the 3-year-old trotters in Europe was contested last Sunday November 1st in the San Siro Racetrack in Milan Italy.

Premio Orsi Mangelli is named after one of the biggest breeders in Italy, and Italian bred trotter won the trophy once again. Mago d'Amore (Magigian of Love) is the name of the winning horse and he was trained and driven by one of the best drivers in Italy, Pietro Gubellini.

First elimination was won by the American invader Explosive Matter, who was a post time favorite for the final over the other elimination winner Mago d'Amore. Ron Pierce did not have his day with Explosive Matter and this stallion finished his racing career by making a break in the first turn in the final and loosing his chance. Reportedly Explosive Matter will be standing stud in the Hanover Shoe Farms starting next year.

Mago d'Amore is a son of Lemon Dra, Champion sire who was kidnapped in Italy years ago and has not been seen since. Dam of Mago d'Amore is an Italian born daughter of Donerail called Do It Wise. Winning time for the mile long race was 12,7a (1:57 MR) and the winner made almost $210,000.

Second place went for the Swedish bred son of Ganymede called Oracle. He is trained by Stefan "Photo Tarzan" Melander and was driven by Örjan Kihlström. Third place finisher was Marimari from Holger Ehlert barn, he was piloted by Roberto Vecchione.


Marimari was a third place finisher in the Premio Orsi Mangelli final this year

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