by Thomas Hedlund

Anders Ström’s Courant Stable, one of the owners investing the most in the harness racing business both in Europe and America, was dressed in the yellow jacket belonging to the winner of the $780,000 Swedish Derby after Sunday’s (Sept. 3) race of over 2,640 meters.

Courant’s super mare Joviality (Chapter Seven) was perfectly driven by Erik Adielsson and the Sabine Kagebrant-trained 4-year-old sprinted to a safe win after a pocket trip.

The Derby became a two-horses contest when the end of the race approached. Joviality opened quickly for the lead when the car left the field, but from post 7, favorite Dancer Brodde passed Joviality after 100 meters, before he made a break and was out of the game.

Joviality was in front again, but Adielsson had no thoughts of defending the position when Adrian Kolgjini asked for the lead with Barack Face, who impressed a lot in his elimination win from first over.

With Barack Face in front and Joviality in the pocket, the pace was allowed to reach low levels and it was clear that horses far back in the field would have problems challenging for the win.

Barack Face tried to shake off the chasers in the last turn, but Joviality is, with all her experiences from races in America, a very complete trotter who manages to handle all different distances, so when her space for attack came in the last turn, she immediately closed in on the leader, disarmed him and won in safe and nice style in a mile rate of 1:56 over 1.6 miles.

Barack Face was strong as second and Love Keeper held his position as third on the inside, which resulted in third place.

Replay here.

Anders Ström was in his glory, but this day was the ladies’ Derby. Sabine Kagebrant, trainer of two horses and the CEO at Courant Stable, became the first woman to win the Swedish Derby as a trainer and Joviality broke a 22-year-old streak of no-mare wins in the race.

STRONG FINISH RESULTED IN UPSET WIN IN DERBY FOR MARES

Fourth over is not the position that you wish for if you have thoughts of winning big stakes races on a five-eighths mile track in Sweden, but Fredrik Wallin’s Global Dancer (Carat Williams) proved that she’s a tough lady in Sunday’s $380,000 Derby for mares.

Driver Carl Johan Jepson had no other choice than leaving his position in fourth over at the back stretch, trying to get Global Dancer closer to the leading duo of Queen Belina and Bonneville W.I. and Jepson got lucky when Jennifer Sisu gave cover throughout the last turn, three wide.

Global Dancer got the serious order of attack at the top of the stretch and just before the wire she passed a brave Jennifer Sisu.

It was a mile rate of 1:56 over 1.3 miles for the winner. Jennifer Sisu finished second ahead of a strong finishing Mellby Korall, who got a trip in sixth over.

LUCK FOR GOCCIADORO IN TURIN

Alessandro Gocciadoro’s Eolo Jet (Wishing Stone) was on his way to a runner up performance when the $160,000 Gran Premio Carlo Marangoni was held in Turin, Italy on Sunday (Sept. 3) afternoon, but when leader Ebano d’Arc made a break with 50 meters to go, the way to victory was opened for Gocciadoro’s trotter.

Massimilian Castaldo sat in the bike behind upset winner (22-1) Eolo Jet, who came home in a mile rate of 1:58.4 over 1.3 miles.

In Saturday’s (Sept. 2) $160,000 Campionato Europeo in Cesena, three races were required before a winner was crowned. Bonneville Gifont (Varenne) won the first heat from the lead and in heat 2, where the same horses met from opposite post positions, Akela Pal Ferm (Maharajah) claimed the win via the open stretch.

Two different winners meant that a race off between the two winners was scheduled and Akela Pal Ferm was best from the lead in 1:58. Antonio di Nardo sat in the bike behind the winner.