October 28, 2010

The Swedish Championship for Trotters

Torvald Palema won the $59,000 Swedish Championship for trotters via open stretch at Åby raceway on October 16. The 9-year-old stallion showed that he still has an explosive speed and after 2000 meter in a very moderate pace, with the Elitlopp winner Iceland in the lead and Torvald Palema behind, it was fairly clear there would be a quick finish. Torvald Palema won the race at 1.13,8/2640a (1:58.4 over the 1-5/8th miles distance).


One of the Best Trotters
Torvald Palema has had an amazing career, with 41 wins in 91 entries and more than $3,500,000 in his purse. He made five starts as a 2-year-old for his former trainer Joakim Lövgren and won 19 out of 34 entries and earned almost $600,000 before he was transferred to Åke Svanstedt in the end of 2006. He has since then developed into one of the best trotters in the world by winning all the major races in Sweden. The most prestigious was the victory in the Elitlopp in 2009. Torvald Palema is still looking like an athlete on the racecourse and the owners are planning to race him next year too.

October 12, 2010

Derby-Weekend

Kolgjini Dominance

Lutfi Kolgjini had another extraordinary weekend when Nadir Kronos won the Italian Derby, The Derby Italiano del Trotto, and Sebastian K finished second in the European Trotting Derby, the Grand Prix de l’UET last Sunday (October 10). Altogether, the Kolgjini-trained horses banked more than $600,000 in a day, and that only a week after the victory in the Kriterium and one month after the victory in the Swedish Trotting Derby which added in $480,000 to the team's already fantastic result with almost 200 victories and more than $4,330,000 in the purse so far.



Kolgjini’s Second Triumph in Derby Italiano del Trotto

The $445,000 Derby Italiano del Trotto was contested at the Tordivalle track in Rome for Italian-bred 3-year-old trotters. The Swedish owned Nadir Kronos, driven by Andrea Guzzinati, breezed home the Derby at 1.14,3/2100a (1:59.3) over the 1-5/16th mile distance. He was immediately sent to the lead and from that position, the Kolgjini trained colt was never challenged. Nadir Kronos finished second behind Raja Mirchi in the Ulf Toreson Memorial and has now been on the board eight out of 14 lifetime starts and has $570,000 on his bankroll. The son by sire Varenne and dam Crown Kronos (by Supergill) was the most expensive sale on the Kolgjini auction in July this year, the new owners paid 224,000 and got immediate return. Nadir Kronos' victory was Kolgjini’s second triumph as a trainer in Derby Italiano del Trotto since Glen Kronos with Roberto Andreghetti defeated Going Kronos and Lutfi Kolgjini in 2006.



Sebastian K added $159,000

Kolgjini himself was in France, at Le Croise-Laroche to drive the Swedish Derby winner Joke Face in the $318,000 Grand Prix de I’UET for European-bred-4-year-old trotters. Joke Face had post one behind the gate, but could not open quickly enough, whereas Kolgjini’s second horse Sebastian K with Dominik Locqueneux in the bike got a better position behind Red Hot Dynamite in the lead. The favorite Sam Bourbon with driver Jean-Pierre Dubois was parked outside the leader with Main Wise As trailing. Sebastian Ernault moved Main Wise As three wide before the homestretch, and when the favorite Sam Bourbon went off stride, Main Wise As could win with half a length at 1.12,2/2000 meters (1:56.1 over 1-1/4th miles). Sebastian K was locked behind the winner and finished second before Sereno.



Bred in Italy, Dutch Owners, Trained in France

Main Wise As (by sire Yankee Glide) was born in Italy and has always been considered a top colt, but his former Dutch trainer and driver Hugo Langeweg Jr has often been criticized for his modest performance in the bike. The horse was transferred to Pierre Levesque’s care a few months ago, but under the licensed trainer Sebastian Ernault. Pierre Levesque serves a doping sentence and is excluded from training.

October 05, 2010

The Swedish Trotting Kriterium and Oaks

Long Live the King and the Queen

The most prestigious races for 3-year-olds, the Swedish Trotting Kriterium and the Oaks, which is the female division of the Kriterium, were according to tradition contested at Solvalla in Stockholm on the last Sunday in October (October 3). The open division is raced over 2640 meters (1-5/8th mile) and the female division over 2140 meters (1-3/8th mile). As so many times before, Tamla Celeber and Raja Mirchi proved their talents, and by winning the Oaks and the Swedish Kriterium, the coronation of the 3-year-olds’ queen and king was a fact.



Won Without Pulling the Plugs

Tamla Celeber (by sire Cantab Hall, dam Amanda Celeber) got the better race of the two. After a slow start, she was the second horse on the outside. Driver Örjan Kihlström moved her three wide with 700 meters left to go and when he glanced over his shoulder down the homestretch, the competitors realized that the race was over. Tamla Celeber breezed from the rest of the field and won the prestigious $148,000 Oaks at 1.14.0/2140a (1:59.0). The Roger Walmann-trained filly made her last entry of the year, summarizing ten wins in twelve lifetime starts with more than $430,000 on her bankroll.



A New Record Mark

Raja Mirchi (by sire Viking Kronos, dam Dame Lavec) showed both strength and mental maturity. A hot temper has from time to time made life hard for him. Lutfi Kolgjini’s colt reached the lead after 500 meters and was then challenged by Kadett C.D. and Robert Bergh. Kolgjini shook his head to signal that he had no plans to give away the lead. With 500 meters left to go, Lutfi Kolgjini ordered full speed, and Raja Mirchi left the rest of the field by several lengths. One Too Many and Tryptophan Ås fought well from positions further down the field but none could challenge Raja Mirchi who won at 1.13,8/2640a (1:58.4), which is a new record mark for 3-year-old colts over this long distance. The victory was worth $238,000, Raja Mirchi has banked $590,000 in two seasons.



Time For a Triple

Raja Mirchi won the classic event Uppfödningslöpning (for 2-year-olds) last year, only eight other horses have managed to win both the Uppfödningslöpning and the Kriterium before. Kolgjini’s colt has the chance to be the third horse in the history to win all the classical races, which also includes the Derby (for 4-year-olds). Last time someone achieved that triple crown was back in 1932-1934 when Etta June and Gotthard Ericsson won all the classical races. It is time for a new triple, and Raja Mirchi has indeed the capacity to do it.