The stars aligned for Allegiant and her connections this past Sunday (May 31) when the 5-year-old American-bred daughter of Tactical Landing did the unthinkable in capturing the famed Elitlopp over the incredibly-maintained five-eighths-mile oval. The translated time of 1:48 obliterated the world standards, all taken on American soil. While pacing records tend to be lowered with each passing year, the same cannot be said when it comes to trotting, where maintaining speed and gait at a high rate for distance has a greater failure than success record. Allegiant, who raced to millionaire status in the States in 2023-24 and won the Breeders Crown, showed the speed and class on this side of the Atlantic but did so wearing trotting hopples. That she competed free-legged and without shoes in the Elitlopp final shows just how much she has developed over time with well-deserved credit to her conditioner Daniel Redén. That Allegiant started fast and managed to finish a mile without coming to a complete stop is a testament to training methods that have elevated the strength of the trotters. Over the last 20-25 years the Euro influence on American turf has led to the improvement in the trotting blood and the speed records that came with it. For years it almost seemed unfair to me that all the speed records were set in the U.S. while some of the bloodlines and many of the conditioners had roots from Sweden. Sunday's epic performance by Allegiant was a vivid example of what we've come to take for granted here on a regular basis. The explosion at the outset, something that can only surface when trainers and drivers have the utmost confidence that horse's gait is letter perfect, is precision that comes from constant refinement and attention to detail.  Not all horses are capable of what Allegiant and driver Örjan Khilström were able to put together on Sunday. That said, Allegiant herself was likely not mature enough a few years ago to ensure confidence, with hopples necessary to safeguard miscues. Yes, all records were made to be broken. When it comes to the fastest trotting mile of all-time it's nice to know, at least for the moment, that the record resides in Sweden over a racetrack that is set up so well that trainers can routinely take the shoes off without much worry. From a pedigree perspective, Allegiant is largely a "made in America" wonder with only the Varenne-sired mare Southwind Serena present in five generations of her pedigree. Southwind Serena not only produced her sire Tactical Landing but also his full sister, the champion Mission Brief. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter In a different time, the performance of Allegiant in the second heat versus the elimination race may have been somewhat controversial, especially to those who wagered on her. Khilström willingly settled for a pocket trip that could have gotten him in trouble in the elimination heat. Fortunately, he found room in the stretch to get Allegiant home fourth and qualified for the rich final. Given her capacity to trot a mile in 1:48 hours after that fourth-place finish, there had to be some in the crowd wondering why they were tearing up pari-mutuel tickets. More than likely those fans will see this as a learning experience, as many have already adjusted to the fact that elimination races and finals are judged differently by horsemen, with most looking to save as much as they can the first time around and then let it all hang out in the final. There was speed of a different kind last Saturday (May 30) in the Somebeachsomewhere at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with one of last year's brightest 2-year-old pacers - Brandon Blvd - offering hope that a meaningful rival to the undefeated Beau Jangles could arise. His 1:48 1/5 victory, with Jason Bartlett subbing for Dexter Dunn on assignment in Sweden, was a strong indication that trainer Andrew Harris has him prepared for battle. Unlike the 1:48 mile by a trotter a day later in a different country, Brandon Blvd's time itself is only a story of his condition, and likely since it was taken in a prep race, is harder to gauge when looking towards the North America Cup trials slated for Saturday (June 6). Conditions seemed ideal at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with fast miles the norm on the evening, culminating in a 1:47 3/5 performance by Ayeaye Captain Deo in the first round of the Graduate for 4-year-old pacers. If there was one takeaway from Brandon Blvd's performance, it was that in today's harness racing horses can be primed for big races without having actual races in between. Brandon Blvd had only started once this year - four weeks earlier in the Paul Revere at Plainridge Park. Sandwiched around the races were three qualifying miles, with the Downbytheseaside-sired colt a 1:50 3/5 winner at the Meadowlands two weeks in advance of the Somebeachsomewhere. As we should all know by now, it's not how fast you go but who you defeat, and Brandon Blvd is pretty much in the same company with all his sophomore rivals at the elite level who have yet to be tested against horses believed to be in their league. Beau Jangles toyed with Ontario competition in advance of the North America Cup, as did Odds On Mr Mamba, a 1:49 winner in his initial sophomore appearance at Harrah's Hoosier Park on May 25. Odds On Mr Mamba has the same aura as Beau Jangles in that he raced exclusively in Indiana last year, winning his last seven in-a-row, including a world record 1:47 4/5 Indiana Sire Stakes victory. The mile by Allegiant caught me, and I'm assuming many others by surprise; a world record for 3-year-old pacers in the coming weeks at Woodbine Mohawk Park is certainly something well within reach when you see how easily the top class has made it look in just the past few weeks. Whether records are broken or win streaks fall, the next few weeks should bring out the best our sport has to offer.