August 20, 2011

E3 Finals – Sprinter Distance

Today, August 20, the $125,000 E3 final over 1640 meters for 3-year-old colts and geldings was contested on Romme raceway in Borlänge. Due to some trouble before the start, the start had to be recalled twice before Tomas Uhrberg and Tomas Malmquist trained Rusty Dust could get to the lead. As usually, Lutfi Kolgjini sent his horse to the front, this time Orion Kronos, and opened the first quarter below 1:50. Kolgjni’s second horse Obey Kronos came up on the outside and the pace was continuously high. After three quarters, Ulf Ohlsson attacked with Labero Broline and came immediately up outside Orion Kronos. Labero Broline left the rest of the contestants with several horse lengths and won at 1:55.4. The Pine Chip – Ambro Natural offspring has 6 wins in 16 lifetime starts and more than doubled his bank account after the victory. Prawns finished second and Vulcan Brick speeded to the third place.



An E3 Specialist

This was trainer Svante Båth’s 8th victory in the E3 finals. Båth has primarily dominated the open division and his reputation as being a great trainer of 2 and 3-year-olds has once again been validated.



Family Triumph

The filly division was raced yesterday, and father and son Untersteiner were the happy winners. Trainer Peter Untersteiner had qualified two horses to the final and choose Pomana Wibb whereas his son Johan Untersteiner sat in the bike behind Mermaid Ås. Pomana Wibb fell off stride they were about to overtake the lead from Loulou Bob and instead, Johan sent Mermaid Ås to the front. Electra Sund was the first horse on the outside but she was never head to head with Mermaid Ås. When Johan Untersteiner increased the pace in the last curve, no one could follow and they took an outstanding victory, winning the $125,000 race at 1:56.0. Brittania speeded well behind and Electra Sund finished third.



Born to be a Super Talent

Mermaid Ås (e. Broadway Hall – Superlou Ås) was breed by Blädinge Ås Stuteri. The man behind the stud farm, Jan-Erik Magnusson, is one of the men who bought Mack Lobell to Sweden. The dam, Superlou Ås (e. Super Bowl) was an excellent filly herself that finished second in the E3 final over 2140 meters and then followed up winning Guldstoet in 2000.



A New Dominant?

Altogether, Johan Untersteiner had a good work weekend since he also finished second with Prawns in the open E3 final. By the age of 27, he is already an experienced driver. One of his major victories came with Giant Diablo on The Red Mile in Lexington in October 2007 when he was setting a new world record at 1:50.1. Being trainer Roger Walmann’s first lad means he gets all opportunities to drive good horses – something he also manage in the best way possible.

Jubileumspokalen

The $158,000 Jubileumspokalen, for 5-year-old trotters only, was contested on Solvalla (August 17) a sunny Wednesday night. And it was a real fight until the last inch. Express Type with Björn Goop in the bike sprinted to the lead, whilst Prince Tagg and Ralf Karlstedt were trailing. 800 meters in the race, Lutfi Kolgjini sent Sebastian K up on the outside of Express Type and kept the pace high. Kolgjini took over when they we coming on the homestretch, but then Ralf Karlstedt also sent Prince Tagg three wide out. He accelerated quickly so when they reached the finishing line, no eye could tell them apart. After a few minutes, an enlarged photo could just identify Prince Tagg as the winner.


A statement

Trainer Karlstedt were close to tears during the interview. Once again, the small trainer from Mantorp proved that his horse belonged in the elite. Prince Tagg took them all by surprise last year when he won the Breeders Crown final for 4-year-old trotters, paying 330 to 10 on the tab. After he took an impressive victory in Prince Carl Philip’s Jubileumspokal in April 22, winning at 1.10,7/1640 meters (1:53.4/1 mile), he was invited to the Elitlopp. By sudden, Karlstedt was in the center of all media attention and even if Prince Tagg did not qualify to the final, the team around the horse had an amazing experience. After a few mediocre races, he was now ready to add another prestigious victory and $156,000 to his resume.


European Championship for Fillies and Mares

The 7,000 in the audience waited long for the main race, but in the meantime, they could enjoy the $118,500 European Championship for Fillies and Mares. Fredrik Persson’s Viola Silas and Jerry Riordan’s Lisa America with Torbjörn Jansson in the bike were the main favorites. However, Jansson took a slow start with Liza America and was stuck as forth horse on the inside, while Viola Silas fell off stride when the gate left them. She then had to trott as first horse outside the early leader Yucca Boko with Ulf Ohlsson in the bike. Behind Viola Silas, K.L.M. Prelong with her trainer Åke Svanstedt was trailing and it was Svanstedt’s filly that had the best speed on the homestretch. She won at 1.12,6/2140 meters (1.56,4/1 3/8 miles). The Norweigan born filly after Dahir de Prelong and Negrita Nego (e. Larabello) has won 17 races in 67 lifetime starts and banked more than 315,000 so far.

August 09, 2011

Hugo Åbergs Memorial – Kolgjini is Unbeatable on His Home Arena

When Joke Face won the Derby last year, Lutfi Kolgjini got his first victory in the prestigous race, but only as a trainer. Since Kolgjini himself choose Juggle Face, Erik Adielsson got the chance in the bike and took it. When Hugo Åberg’s Memorial took place in Malmö (July 26), Kolgjini choose Joke Face before his second horse Lavec Kronos. Once again, Adielsson was hired as a catchdriver, and he made no mistakes.


Second Consecutive Victory

Torvald Palema opened quickly behind the gate and sprinted to the lead before Beanie M.M. took over. Kolgjini sent Joke Face to the front and opened the first 500 meters at 1.07.7. As usual, he continued on in the same furious pace. Brioni was the first horse on the outside with Lavec Kronos trailing. Joakim Lövgren let Brioni closer and closer and when they were coming on the homestretch, Lövgren’s horse had beaten Joke Face. At the same time, Adielsson entered the stage with Lavec Kronos. He took him three wide out and the horse managed to pass Brioni just prior to the finishing line. Joke Face finished third. Due to Adielsson’s wise manner and of course Kolgjini’s talent for training, Lavec Kronos over rumpled them all. He paid 20 to 1 on the tab and won the mile race at 10.0,0. Lavec Kronos won the sprinter race last year as well and the Enjoy Lavec offspring could add another $155,000 to his $675,000 lifetime earnings.