by Thomas Hedlund

Swedish harness racing journal Sulkysport presented the results from European countries’ sires statistics last week. It’s not that common that a stallion born in Sweden becomes the best sire in the home country, but in 2020 Maharajah pushed Muscle Hill, Ready Cash and Love You off the throne after several years of domination from stallions born outside of Sweden. Muscle Hill has been successful as the top sire in previous years and he is still near the top of the list, but Maharajah, with a massive quantity of offspring racing in Sweden, became too tough to beat last year.

Maharajah (Viking Kronos) was a magnificent racehorse for trainer Stefan Hultman and driver Örjan Kihlström. The charismatic trotter was, without doubt, the best Swedish bred horse in the crop born 2005 and as older trotter Maharajah crowned his career with a win in 2014 year’s edition of Prix d’Amérique in Paris.

Maharajah’s best offspring in 2020 was Norwegian-bred Moni Viking, who set two world records in Harper Hanovers race and Åby Stora Pris, respectively.

Sweden 2020 sire list

Stallion – Starts – Wins – Earnings in dollars

1. Maharajah – 2,370 – 324 – $4,900,819
2. Muscle Hill – 1,680 – 267 – $4,737,954
3. Ready Cash – 1,437 – 265 – $3,879,380
4. Love You – 2,259 – 335 – $3,187,542
5. S.J.’s Caviar – 1,898 – 249 – $2,671,454

Ready Cash still tops in France

Ready Cash claimed his fifth consecutive win in the list among sires in France in 2020 and it was, of course, a Prix d’Amérique winner who was his best offspring. Face Time Bourbon banked $1,060,901 in 2020 and laid the foundation of Ready Cash’s success as stallion in France. Besides the $7,318,174 that his offspring earned in sulky races, Ready Cash also collected $1,236,805 in monté races.

And we are talking about a stallion that still produces great trotters in his home country. Among the 2-year-olds in France, Ready Cash’s sons and daughters were the most successful in 2020. For 3-year-olds, Brillantissime was the best sire with $1,177,501, $22,698 ahead of Ready Cash.

France 2020 sire list (sulky races)

Stallion – Starts – Wins – Earnings in dollars

1. Ready Cash – 1,770 – 233 – $7,318,174
2. Prodigious – 1,656 – 166 – $4,159,981
3. Love You – 1,317 – 171 – $3,934,026
4. Royal Dream – 1,320 – 163 – $3,573,881
5. Coktail Jet – 1,201 – 103 – $3,107,348

Eleven in a row for Varenne in Italy

It’s hard to pull Varenne down from the top of the list in Italy and what is unusual with this particular stallion is that none of the five most successful trotters in Italy were sired by Varenne. Instead, it’s the width and consistency among his offspring that bring him to the top every year. And it seems fair that the trotter in the world that many fans consider is the best of all time win this league as long as he has the chance to do it.

Italy 2020 sire list

Stallion – Earnings in dollars

1. Varenne – $4,353,437
2. Ganymede – $1,750,871
3. Love You – $1,580,034
4. Maharajah – $1,562,438
5. Nad Al Sheba – $1,463,597

Germany sire list

Stallion – Earnings in dollars

1. Love You – $470,316
2. Muscle Hill – $317,773
3. Offshore Dream – $236,927
4. Pastor Stephen – $229,715
5. Gustav Diamant – $219,250

The Netherlands 2020 sire list

Stallion – Earnings in dollars

1. Virgill Boko – $112,114
2. Muscle Mass – $109,226
3. Love You – $109,102
4. Ufo Kievitshof – $92,767
5. Cantab Hall – $80,690

Norway 2020 sire list

Stallion – Starts – Wins – Earnings in dollars

1. Quite Easy – 406 – 41 – $895,030
2. Orlando Vici – 1,005 – 120 – $726,386
3. Maharajah – 137 – 36 – $655,317
4. Dream Vacation – 671 – 41 – $500,186
5. Revenue – 821 – 76 – $441,009

Finland 2020 sire list

Stallion – Starts – Wins – Earnings in dollars

1. Andover Hall – 694 – 99 – $709,119
2. Zola Boko – 700 – 77 – $616,983
3. Love You – 716 – 100 – $579,297
4. Ready Cash – 149 – 38 – $574,709
5. Like A Prayer – 427 – 49 – $549,602

Denmark 2020 sire list

Stallion – Starts – Wins – Earnings in dollars

1. Ens Snapshot – 1,366 – 164 – $749,566
2. Great Challenger – 998 – 126 – $450,837
3. Wishing Stone – 299 – 40 – $423,679
4. From Above U.S. – 347 – 43 – $235,036
5. Chocolatier – 37 – 15 – $215,258

Austria 2020 sire list

Stallion – Earnings in dollars

1. Light Kronos – $135,517
2. Incredible Hulk – $93,481
3. Look de Star – $63,866
4. Pascia’ Lest – $57,184
5. Alv Peacepipe – $56,884