Francesco Zet reigns supreme in Sweden
by Thomas Hedlund
Daniel Redén’s Francesco Zet (Father Patrick) overcame post 12 and swept the field to give his trainer a first-ever title in the open division of the Swedish Championship on Saturday (Sept. 27) at Åby.
The $110,000 Swedish Championship is raced over 1-5/8ths miles (2,640 meters), meaning post 12 was not as tough a handicap as usual. Driver Örjan Kihlström sat patiently in fourth-over before making his move four-wide with three-eighths to go. Francesco Zet stormed past pacesetter H.C.’s Crazy Horse and had the race in hand well before the wire.
The 7-year-old son of Father Patrick stopped the clock in a world record-tying mile rate of 1:54.3 for 1-5/8ths miles, earning $55,000. The victory pushed his career bankroll past $2.9 million. Francesco Zet is undefeated in seven career starts at the distance.
The $110,000 Swedish Championship for mares looked like a battle between Olly Håleryd and Great Skills, but longshot Kaffeåchampagne ($20 winner) came flying late with Carl Johan Jepson to spring the upset. Sitting last-over while Olly Håleryd cut the mile with Great Skills parked outside, Jepson unleashed his mare through the lane. She powered past the dueling favorites to score in a mile rate of 1:53.4 for 1-5/16ths miles (2,140 meters), good for $55,000. It was a huge turnaround for a mare who cost only $5,500 as a yearling at the Travera online sale.
Åby also hosted two $٤٤,٠٠٠ eliminations for the $٤٨٠,٠٠٠ European Derby final at Solvalla in two weeks.
In the first, Bullet The Bluesky (Readly Express) rebounded from his miscue in the Swedish Derby with a dominant front-end win. Taking command after the first quarter in :27.3, he cruised through the middle fractions before finishing strongly in a mile rate of 1:54.3 for 1-5/16ths miles, worth $22,000.
In the second, Derby champ Dream Mine (Maharajah) and driver Mats E. Djuse took over the lead midway through and were hounded by Far Wise As on the outside. Through the final turn, the challenger pressed hard, but Dream Mine proved best, drawing off to win in a mile rate of 1:53.4 for 1-5/16ths miles.
CONTROVERSIAL STAR DOMINATES IN FRANCE
The French elimination at Vincennes on Friday night (Sept. 26) produced a blistering pace. The first 1,100 meters (11/16 miles) went in a mile rate of 1:46.2 — nearly unheard of.
But Lovino Bello, a 4-year-old with a doping scandal in his past, handled it with ease, surging late to win in a mile rate of 1:52.1 for 1-5/16ths miles (2,100 meters).
L’As Desbois cut out the insane fractions, :27 for the first three furlongs, :54 for the half while favorite Frank Gio was left parked in the breeze. Lovino Bello (Village Mystic) stalked the hot tempo, then swept by in the lane to defeat Lilas Castelle convincingly.
Frank Gio, trained by Sébastien Guarato, faded to fifth, but was later elevated when Lady Dada was disqualified for interference. That secured Frank Gio a spot in the European Derby final at Solvalla on Oct. 11.
Lovino Bello is a highly debated figure in European trotting. He tested positive for the banned substance Tildren in last year’s Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli in Turin. Italy banned him for a month, but the French federation overturned the suspension, allowing him to compete in the Group 1 $354,000 Prix de l’Etoile/Prix Ready Cash last December, which he won for a purse of $106,000.
He also captured the $354,000 Criterium des 3 ans and last summer became the fastest 3-year-old in European history when he won the $106,000 Prix Henri Cravoisier at Enghien in a mile rate of 1:52.1.
