Åby Stora Pris (Åby Grand Prix) at Gothenburg Racetrack crowned the queen of age horses last Saturday (September 20) when Lisa America beat all the stallions in two magnificent heats. In the first heat, she proved her speed from a position in the field, whereas the second heat was won from outside of the leader. After weeks of heavy rain, there were at least glimpses of blue sky throughout the day and the 12,000 in the crowd could enjoy world-class trotting at its very best.
Two or Three Heats During the Day
Up until 2004, Åby Stora Pris was a standard Group 1 race over 2140 meters with ten contestants. In 2005, it transformed into a two-heat race with eight invited horses over 1640 meters. If the same horse wins both heats, that horse is declared the winner of the race. However, if there are two different winners after two heats, the two alone meet in a third race-off heat. There have been two race-off heats, in 2005 when Gidde Palema defeated Steinlager and in 2008 when Garland Kronos beat L'Amiral Mauzun. Last year, Torvald Palema and Åke Svanstedt won both heat A and B.
The posts are drawn as usual with one exception. The horse who gets post one in heat A gets post eight in heat B. The positions are reversed to make the drawn more equal. It adds extra tactic to the race, depending on positions and speed, some horses benefit from two heats whereas some aim for three heats. Åby is the only racing track in Sweden with double open lanes on the homestretch which makes an inside position better than on a standard racing track. Add to that the extra thrill of reversed posts and you have a very challenging race.
Heat A
Micro Mesh with Lutfi Kolgjini sprinted to the front with Opal Viking on the outside and reached the first 500 meters at 1.11,1/1640a (1:54.2). Lisa America was third on the outside trailing Torvald Palema. Lisa America attacked three wide with 600 meters left to go, which forced Åke Svanstedt to advance with Torvald Palema. When they were coming on the homestretch, Torvald Palema gained a few lengths immediately, but Lisa America had still more to give and could finally win by nose. She finished the last 500 meters below 1.07.5 (1:48.3) third wide. Beanie M.M. was stacked behind Micro Mesh on the inside and finished third via open stretch.
Trainer Riordan was very optimistic after the first heat and thought Lisa America would handle two or three heats on the same day well. “These horses are champions. If they show anything at all, they will show it in the next race and not today. Once they are behind the gate, they just do their job”, Mr Riordan said.
Heat B
The second heat got a different scenario when Torvald Palema sprinted to the front and then let go to Beanie M.M. Lisa America had to trot most of the race outside without cover in a murderous speed with the first 500 meters at 1.09.3 (1:51.3). Torvald Palema got a perfect position behind Beanie M.M., just waiting for open stretch. The three were fighting on the homestretch, but Lisa America showed her winner instinct and fought Torvald Palema right to the wire. She won the second race at 1.10,1/1640a (1:52.4), which is a new record mark for mares in Sweden over short distance.
Jerry Riordan was thrilled after the race and tried to describe his feelings in Swedish Television. “I look at Torbjörn and want to make love to the guy, I have never had feelings like that before, he brings something out of me I never felt before. Don’t worry, I am still happily married to my wife and won’t leave her for Torbjörn”, Riordan said laughing.
The daughter of Varenne (by mare Zagabria Dei by Victory Dream) showed the same qualities as her sire. Just like Varenne, she is strong and tough, with a real fighting spirit. Even her psych seems to mature, she appears less stressed and has familiarized with the Swedish racing system. “For every race, it just looks like she’s getting better. I was lucky to have a top driver in Italy for the first three years in the beginning of her career in Andrea Guzzinati. He never hurt her and just respected her”, Riordan continued.
Lisa America has won six of 14 races this year and added $21,200 to her seasonal earnings. By winning Åby Stora Pris she gained the leading position in Grand Circuit, which offers an extra bonus to the winner in the end of the season.
September 22, 2010
Åby Stora Pris
September 21, 2010
September 06, 2010
The Derby 2010
The Trotting Derby is one of three classical races in Sweden, and for many people the most prestigious race all categories. The race is always held the first Sunday in September at Jägersro raceway in Malmö. It is open for 4-year-old horses with an open and one filly division. The open division is raced over 2640 meters and the filly division over 2140 meters. It takes both strength and speed to win the Derby, and most of the previous winners have shown great result as aged horses too. Victory Tilly won the Derby in 1999 and Conny Nobell in 2005, both followed up by winning the Elitlopp the subsequent year.
The Yellow Jacket
Last Sunday on August 5, was a beautiful autumn day with mild breeze on a crowded arena at Jägersro raceway. As usual, the classic yellow suit jacket was hanging in the winner’s circle waiting to dress the winning owner, trainer and driver of the Derby. The elimination heats were held ten days prior to the final, with the two best horses from each heat qualifying. This year’s Derby contained the most open field in several years. Kolgjini’s duo Juggle Face and Joke Face were among the favorites together with Never Again, trained by Stefan Hultman.
Joke Face had post three behind the gate and opened rapidly to the lead with Erik Adielsson in the bike. Kolgjini himself was managing Juggle Face and positioned him on the outside. The two Kolgjini-trained horses lowered the speed and reached the first 1000 meters at slow 2:01.4. With 1600 meters left to go, Åke Svanstedt advanced with Ågårds Ludde from the backfield. He moved quickly from the last position to outside of Kolgjini, who had no plans to let him pass. The speed was high when Juggle Face fell off stride, which gave Svanstedt the position as first wide out. However, the favorite Never Again driven by Örjan Kihlström overtook that position with one lap left to go and put further pressure on Joke Face. The two left the rest of the field with only G.H.Nemo behind. In the homestretch, Never Again could not follow Joke Face who stretched out and won the Derby at 1,13.6/2640a (1:58.2). From an outside position further down the field, Zorro Photo (by S.J.'s Photo) with Belgium driver Dominik Locqueneux delivered an enormous speed to hang on for second before Never Again. With a better position, Zorro Photo’s speed would have challenged Joke Face.
One For the Family
Joke Face was breed and is owned by the Kolgjini family. Lutfi Kolgjini’s de-facto Anna Svensson is the caretaker and Kolgjini said it is the result of a woman’s love that has made the Derby victory possible. Joke Face is a stressed individual who requires a lot of attention and patience, his stressed tendencies even forced them to remove the sulky before entering the winner’s circle. The son of Viking Kronos and dam Kalmie Melody (by Full Account) has won ten of his 16 entries. The Derby victory was worth more than $221,000, which boasted the horse’s career earnings to almost $327,000.
An Incredible Horse
Viola Silas crushed the contestant in the Derby Filly Division. Vitesse d’Inverne was sent to the lead with Viola Silas first wide out. The speed was high throughout the race, 500 meters at 1,09.9 (1:52.2) and 1000 meters at 1.11,7 (1:55.2). Once again, Viola Silas showed incredible strength and a great fighting spirit. Stepping Space had been trailing Viola Silas throughout the race and came up three wide to challenge, but Viola Silas kept her speed and won with a neck setting a new record mark at 1.12,7/2140a (1:57.0).
”What a horse, what an incredible horse!” Trainer and driver Fredrik Persson was overwhelmed after the race and showed his admiration for Viola Silas. Before the elimination heats, Persson was hoping to test his filly against the stallions in the Derby, but opted for the filly division. Before the finals, he said he regretted that he did not take the chance, but considering how both races developed, Persson did probably make the right the decision. It would of course have been thrilling to see Viola Silas measure her strength against the stallions, but Persson’s decision shows how much he cares for his horse. Viola Silas looked more focused than previously and seems to mature for each race. If she has the physical abilities to continue her development, she will have plenty of opportunities to measure against the stallions in the future.
September 01, 2010
Sundsvall Open Trot
17,000 people visited Bergsåker racecourse in Sundsvall last Saturday, and the audience could enjoy an exciting finish of Sundsvall Open Trot 2010.
The Best Filly in the World
Torvald Palema with trainer Åke Svanstedt in the bike was the even-money favorite. However, The Italian-based but American-born trainer Jerry Riordan had set Lisa America in perfect condition and when driver Torbjörn Jansson managed to keep her calm before post time, much of the race was won. From pos eight behind the gate, Jansson found her a great position as third horse on the outside with Beanie M.M. right behind. Torvald Palema got to the lead with Commander Crowe on the outside. The pair battled through fractions of 1:55.1, 1:57.1 and 1:52.4 in the final panel. Via a three-wide move 700 meters left of the race, Lisa America came up outside of Torvald Palema and showed no mercy on the homestretch. She kept her speed right to the wire and finished the last 700 meters at 1.08,0 (1:49.2) and won the race at 1.12,2/2140a (1:56.1). Beanie M.M. could not follow Lisa America, but finished second before Torvald Palema. “She is one of the best horses in the world”, Torbjörn Jansson said before the race and there were no doubts afterwards.
The Best Sport
Mr Riordan was touched after the race especially since he trained both the dam Zagabria Dei (by Victory Dream) and her dam Donnina (by Super Bowl). Last year, Lisa America set a world-record mark at 1.11,1/2100a (1:55.4) at San Siro in Milan for 4-year-old fillies, but has mixed highs and lows this season. She won Oslo Grand Prix after a great speed on the homestretch and was then invited to the Elitlopp, but did not qualify for the final. She finished second in Forus Open Trot with Erik Adielsson in the bike behind Torvald Palema, but went off stride in the Hugo Åberg Memorial and in Jubileumspokalen, trainer Riordan said the recall of the start made her too stressed. Mr Riordan was more than pleased that Lisa America finally showed her full capacity on Swedish grounds. “You got the best horses, the best trainers, the best sport and the best audience, this is amazing”, said Mr Riordan before he greeted his horse.
The $137,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted the filly’s career earnings to almost $1,400,000 of which $559,000 was this year. The winner was breed and is owned by Guida Italia SRL in Italy and now has 17 wins in 44 life starts. Next start will be the Åby Grand Prix on September 18, where Torvald Palema and Lavec Kronos are among the contestants.