The Ulf Toresen Memorial
Raja Mirchi won the $95,000 Ulf Toresen Memorial at Jarlsberg Raceway in Norway last Sunday, July 18. A prestigious race that Scarlet Knight won before he conquered the Hambletonian in 2001.
Raja Mirchi raced to the front and reached 500 meters at 1.09.0/2100a (1:51.0). With his stablemate Nadir Kronos on the outside and the rest stacked up behind, trainer Kolgjini could set the pace and was never challenged at 1.14,2/2100a (1:59.2). Nadir Kronos finished second with Kolgjini’s first lad Christoffer Eriksson in the bike.
Going Overseas?
According to Kolgjini, Raja Mirchi is one of the most talented colts he has ever trained and brought him to the US last year trying to qualify for the Peter Haughton Memorial, but he went off stride in both his entries overseas. He came back from the US and conquered the only classical race for 2-year-olds - Uppfödningsloppet (‘The Breeders’ Race’,) - winning with eight lengths (!) and setting a record mark for 2-year-old colts at 1.15,4/2140a (2:01.2).
Lutfi Kolgjini has been aiming at this year’s Hambletonian with his colt, but his tendency to make breaks has forced a decision to stay home. The horse is still unbeaten in those races where he has been behaving well, but five out of 14 entries have ended with a break.
They can still bring him overseas for the Breeders Crown and Canadian Trotting Classic in September/October this year, but that would interfere with the Swedish 3-year-old’s biggest race of the year, the classical and prestigious Kriteriet with a $217,000 purse in the final. A race that Kolgjini has never won.
Kolgjini’s Trademark
Kolgjini has in all respect high expectations on his horse, which besides his own capacity is a younger brother of Lavec Kronos (by Enjoy Lavec), the winner of Sprintermästaren 2009, a contestant in the Elitlopp 2010 and winner of the $68,000 Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp (‘Årjäng’s Sprinter Championship’) last Saturday (July 17).
Raja Mirchi was breed by Kolgjini who was the owner/trainer of both their sire and the dam. The sire Viking Kronos (by American Winner-Conch) was a fantastic colt, setting the world-record mark for 2- and 3-year-olds over middle distance, winning 12 of his 14 entries and banking more than $830,000. His result as a sire is brilliant with 28 millionaires among his offspring in Sweden. The dam Dame Lavec (by Quito De Talonay-Kit Lobell) started her career in the US trained by Jimmy Takter, and was bought by Kolgjini in 1996. Even though she was a good filly banking almost $100,000, she has definitely proved her value as a dam. Lavec Kronos has $420,000 on his account and Raja Mirchi $240,000.
Kolgjini is also the man behind Reven D´Amour’s sire Revenue, exported to the US in 2009. The stallion won many prestigious races, among those Uppfödningsloppet, triumphed in 47 of his 110 entries and banked more than $2,200,000.
The Ulf Toresen Memorial Female Division
Lutfi Kolgjini was the trainer of the first two horses in The Ulf Toresen Memorial, making this to a special day since Kolgjini picked up his second driving and training win of the day, previously winning the female division with Knowledge Face.
Knowledge Face marched to the front and left the contenders on the homestretch. She is also by Viking Kronos but her dam is Rakel Sund. The latter won two of eleven entries for Lutfi Kolgjini, but her career took off in the breeding shed, her first offspring Juggle Face has won 13 of his 35 entries, career earnings over $280,650. Last season, he finished second in the Breeders Crown Final for 3-year-old colts and yesterday (July 20), he won the $54,000 Eskilstuna Test Race for 4-year-olds at 1.14,1/2640a (1:59.1).
Altogether, Kolgjini had an exceptional weekend showing great results on both sides of the Atlantic and it would have been interesting to see Raja Mirchi in this year’s Hambletonian.
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