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.