by Debbie Little

In Saturday’s (June 27) $114,500 Six Pack at The Meadowlands, Ake Svanstedt looks to become the first trainer to win the race for mare trotters a third straight time and fourth time overall.

Team Svanstedt has four starters in the seven-horse field, including morning-line favorite Dial Square S.

The 5-year-old black mare by Ready Cash out of the Muscle Hill mare Eileen Boko, has been nothing short of spectacular in her three U.S. starts in 2025. Owned by Stall Arsenal AB and Ake Svanstedt Inc., Dial Square S primarily raced in Sweden before being sent to Ake and Sarah Svanstedt in November 2024.

According to Sarah, she and Ake were aware that Dial Square S was a good horse in Sweden, but did not anticipate her first win of the year to occur right off the bat in 1:51.3 in a leg of the Miss Versatility on May 24 at The Meadowlands.

“That was a little bit of a surprise, that she was ready to do that type of mile right away off the one qualifier,” Sarah said with a laugh. “[Nelsonbriteagle NO] did it pretty good too [when she first raced in the U.S. in 2024], but she needed four or five races, I think, until she kind of came into everything, but ‘Dial’ did it right away, so that was a surprise. And she’s obviously a tremendous racehorse, she loves to race, and it’s a pleasure to have her.”

In that first start, Sarah said that Dial Square S was a little grabby, as she had previously been in Europe.

“She was nice in the qualifier, but then obviously she knew now it’s race mode and let’s race,” Sarah said. “So, Ake was a little bit surprised how grabby she got on the front that day, so we did some equipment changes after that race so that she was more manageable to drive.”

There was no swimming in the shallow end of the pool for Dial Square S, as following her U.S. debut, she was sent up to Canada for the eliminations for the Armbro Flight at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Ake drove Dial Square S to her Armbro Flight elimination victory, but needed a pilot for the final, as he also qualified 2024 O’Brien Older Trotting Mare of the Year Call Me Goo.

According to James MacDonald, who drove Armbro Flight elim winner Willys Home Run as well as Nelsonbriteagle NO in the other elim, Ake approached him after the eliminations to ask who he was taking in the final.

“I assumed he meant ‘Nelsonbriteagle’ or ‘Willy,’” MacDonald said. “And then he said, ‘If you want, you can drive Dial Square, [Dexter Dunn] can drive Nelsonbriteagle, because he drove her all last year.’ So, I said, ‘Oh yeah, for sure I’ll go with Dial Square.’ And then it worked out great, got a good trip in the final and got the job done.

“Sarah and Ake have been amazing to me, last year and this year, and the limited amount of times I’ve gotten to sit behind their horses, they’ve always put me on really good ones in really good spots. So, that’s half the battle for a driver.”

Prior to his first drive with Dial Square S in the $155,400 Armbro Flight final, MacDonald, who won his fourth consecutive Keith Waples Canadian Driver of the Year award in February, said there really wasn’t a ton to go off, as far as research was concerned, because she was racing predominantly in Sweden prior to her U.S. and Canadian debut, but he was able to get some insight from Ake.

“He had mentioned that she was a lot better the second time, drivable wise, and she was just a Cadillac for me that day, and was able to let me just kind of do what I wanted,” MacDonald said of the Armbro Flight final. “And then when I moved her over, she was airborne.”

The fact that Dial Square S has shown that she can win on the front and from behind, MacDonald said is a big advantage.

“It’s a huge feather in her cap, because other drivers are always looking for ways to beat you and try and play on your horse’s weaknesses, and so far, I mean, she hasn’t shown any,” he said. “So, for me, that gives me just more options. Some horses are great horses, but they need a certain trip to work out and other horses can do anything. I haven’t raced her myself on the front, but I know the one time she was there, she went a pretty monster trip, so it just gives me an extra kind of ace up my sleeve, going behind the gate.”

Although MacDonald is based in Ontario, he will be at The Meadowlands on Saturday night (June 28) to drive Dial Square S for the Svanstedts, who gave him his first Breeders Crown victory in 2024 driving Lady Landia.

“They’re great horsepeople, you can just see it,” MacDonald said. “You don’t need me to say anything or anyone to tell you, just look at the results. You see a big trot race and they’re always in the hunt in them. So, it’s just a good testament to what great horsepeople they are, both of them.

“As a horse driver, you just want to drive good horses, that’s the number one goal. And you know, a lot of the best horses do predominantly race in the United States, and if I end up on a good horse to drive, you don’t want to turn them down or not be available when they’re in to go. So, if I end up on some other good horses, like Dial Square and other ones like that, and they’re in to go in the United States, I’m more than likely going to try and make myself available to be down there.”

Sarah said she has joked with MacDonald that he should move to the U.S.

“I think he’s going to travel more this year because he has built up a big network on big race days, so, hopefully, we can use him,” Sarah said.

In addition to Dial Square S, MacDonald is listed to drive 2024 Breeders Crown champ Coach Stefanos in the Dave Brower Memorial, and Hasty Bid, owned by MacDonald and his wife Paige, in the Crawford Farms.

“Sometimes the traveling can be a lot,” MacDonald said, adding with a laugh, “I don’t do it nearly as much as you know Dexter and those guys do, but, I mean, there will come a day when no one wants you, so you got to get the getting while the getting is good.

“It’s the best feeling in the world, sitting behind a great horse. And as a driver, all you ever want is to get on good horses, but they’re just usually so hard to get behind because everyone’s trying to get the best horse in each division. So, [Dial Square S] looks like she’s the one to beat, or she stamped herself as the early mare to beat in the season, and I just hope her form stays good, and I can work out some good trips for her and she can just continue to get the job done, because she feels pretty special so far.”

The Svanstedts campaigned two-time Dan Patch award winner Six Pack, so winning a race that carries his name is always a little more special.

In addition to Dial Square S in the Six Pack, Team Svanstedt has Nelsonbriteagle NO, owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc. and Nils Johan Munkhaugen, Eteria IT, who made her first U.S. start for owners Bruni Racing Team Inc., on June 12 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and 2024 Breeders Crown Open Mares champ Call Me Goo, owned by Graham Grace Stables LLC, William Roberts, Kiwi Stables and Ake Svanstedt Inc.

The Six Pack is race 4 on Saturday’s action packed 14-race card.