Mascate Match: a star is born
by Thomas Hedlund
Finnish trainer and driver Pekka Korpi has seen many top trotters pass through his stable throughout his career, but it’s been many years since he sat behind such a talented horse as Mascate Match (Muscle Mass).
The 3-year-old mare dominated the $215,000 E3 final for mares at Eskilstuna racetrack in Sweden on Saturday afternoon and Pekka Korpi celebrated his second victory in E3. In 2014, Korpi won with Classic Photo mare Arctic Model.
Mascate Match left quickly from post three and Pekka Korpi pushed the turbo gear in the end of the last turn, which resulted in a very safe victory in a mile rate 1:56.2 over 1.3 miles.
”I’ve won E3 finals before, but this horse is just a very classy sort. Now we go home and check her out to make sure that everything is okay with her and my plan is to race her even in the shorter (mile race) division of E3 in August,” said Korpi after the win.
Part two of a star is born refers to the colts and geldings show in E3.
First choice Belker was an unrecognizable horse this day and was beaten pretty much as soon as the car left the field of 11 horses.
Instead, Bythebook and Erik Adielsson dictated the story of the E3 final in front, while Jerry Riordan’s Bold Eagle son Aethos Kronos, who won 3-year-old elite at Solvalla on Elitloppet day, got a trip in fourth over.
Örjan Kihlström left three- and four wide at the backstretch and Aethos Kronos got contact with the leader in the last turn. The tough speed didn’t stop Aethos Kronos from disarming Bythebook and Jerry Riordan could happily note that E3 went to his stable.
“The horse is just fantastic, he showed that today and at Solvalla. I wanted to get in contact with the leader and chose to send him four wide at the back stretch,” said Kihlström.
Aethos Kronos won in mile rate 1:55.3 over 1.3 miles.
