Elitloppet

15 min read

The king of Norway

Throughout history there have been a few select horses that have singlehandedly increased the interest in harness racing and...

American

27 min read

The bargain basement superstar

A $2,000 yearling at the Tattersalls Select Yearling Sale in September 2001, the price tag gave no indications of what was to...

European

14 min read

The blue collar worker

He competed for 12 seasons, won numerous big races through his 199 career starts and retired only to excel in show jumping...

European

21 min read

Il Capitano

By many considered to be the best trotter in history, he was so popular that his name was even put forward as Foreign Minister of...

American

32 min read

Big Mama

She was voted the “Greatest of All Time” in an online poll in 2020, and for good reason: Moni Maker put in numerous...

American, European

16 min read

The American hero in Moscow

He was the tiny American with a heart of gold who became a star in the Soviet Union. The pioneering trio of Apex Hanover, Bill...

When the French studbook was briefly opened between 1987 and 1992, conservative French breeders generally nixed the opportunity to breed their mares to foreign sires. Some even went as far as claiming they “didn’t want to plant weed in their garden”, saying in no unclear terms that the American standardbred had absolutely nothing to offer the French trotter whose studbook had been closed since 1937 and only opened for five foreign-born stallions and a few other exceptions. Despite what the naysayers claimed, though, opening up the studbook took French trotting to a completely new level – and the best example of this is Coktail Jet.

The Sheriff’s queen

European

21 min read

When Soviet trainer Maria Burdova wanted to drive Apex Hanover in the Prix d’Amerique in 1965 she was denied with the explanation that sitting in a sulky “is an unnatural position for a woman.” 30 years later the world had finally moved forward and Helen Ann Johansson became the first female driver to win the Prix d’Amerique when she drove Ina Scot to victory.

The meatball

European

11 min read

He was the first superstar trained by Åke Svanstedt and helped make the trainer a household name all over trotting-Europe. Winner of the UET Grand Circuit for two years running, Zoogin was the complete package of speed and strength in powerful body.

The flying Frisian

European

13 min read

Her breeders bought a mare they didn’t really want at auction, and didn’t even know she was in foal to an unpopular sire. The resulting filly was stubborn and difficult to break. However, when she first started trotting, the filly did nothing else – and usually faster than everybody else. From humble beginnings in the north of Netherlands, Action Skoatter gained worldwide recognition in the 1988 Elitlopp for both her looks and her whirlwind speed.

The criterium trotter

European

17 min read

He was a nasty colt, and the only – to date – Elitlopp-winner to be led to the winners’ circle by two grooms holding a chain. The blue-blooded trotter Jorky was no treat to be around, and he was a handful for his opponents as well. The only horse to win all four group I-Criteriums in France, Jorky was a mean superstar.

The barefoot comeback king

European

9 min read

When Åke Svanstedt recorded a fantastic win in the 2004 Elitlopp, he did it with a horse that two years earlier had been retired. But after 18 months away from the track, Gidde Palema returned in style and when the excellent trotter could race barefoot he was an almost impossible proposition for his competitors.

The French tank

European

17 min read

Some horses just make everybody, their owners, trainer, driver as well as the racing fans, go through the full spectrum of emotions. Few horses have done this more so than the French tank, Rapide Lebel. The gelding would occasionally trot away like his opponents weren’t there and was simply unstoppable at his best. However, on occasion the trotting public got to see the nutty side of the star.

The horse who had to be bought twice

American, European

8 min read

They bought the injured colt and brought him to Europe for stallion duty. But when Pershing healed he looked so good it was decided to race him, a decision that necessitates his owner to have to buy him again. But shelling out again for the excellent trotter who set three world records was an easy decision for his Swedish owner.

The moose

European

13 min read

It’s almost like the story of the ugly ducking. When Jan-Erik Andresen bid on the colt as a yearling, he thought his future star looked more like a moose. Though the big, burly colt was never a swan, eventually Yarrah Boko grew into one of the best long-distance trotters in Europe.

The horse who beat Goliath

European

7 min read

In Sweden one horse is, above all, responsible for the growth of harness racing. According to famed trainer Stig-H Johansson, trotting in Sweden has Ego Boy to thank for its popularity. The horse was an unlikely superstar that came from nowhere to become one of the world’s top aged trotters before his unexplainable death while still at the top.