Harness: Dunn, Svanstedt set for Elitloppet driving experience

No horses from North America made the trip to Sweden to compete in Sunday's Elitloppet, as has unfortunately become the norm in recent years, but fans on this side of the Atlantic will have a couple of drivers to cheer on as both Dexter Dunn and Ake Svanstedt will be participating at Solvalla Racecourse.

Dunn, the reigning four-time Dan Patch Award winner for Driver of the Year in the U.S., has attended the Prix d'Amerique as a spectator before but has never driven in Europe.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge. I obviously know all about the Elitloppet. I've watched it plenty of times and heard all about it," he said. "It sounds like it's a great day and a great weekend of racing. I'm looking forward to getting over there."

Prior to the Elitloppet, Dunn has three drives on Saturday's card and a call in race four on Sunday, which he is hoping will help him adapt to the racing style and the judging in Sweden.

"It'll definitely help," he said about getting the other drives. "It's obviously a completely different style of racing and rules and all that kind of stuff. It'll be good to get a few spins around Saturday and try not to [mess] up."

In the first Elitloppet elimination (race six), Dunn will sit behind Stoletheshow, an 8-year-old Dream Vacation stallion trained by Frode Hamre. Stoletheshow is coming off a victory in the Finlandia-Ajo at Vermo and won last year's Oslo Grand Prix. He also ventured over to Yonkers in 2022 for the International Trot but could never get involved after winding up two-wide in the hot tempo set by Ecurie D and faded to finish seventh.

"The connections sent me quite a few of his replays, so I had a look at them. They're really happy with the way he's been racing this year and obviously had a good win there last month," remarked Dunn. "They think he's going to be in tip-top shape going into the race, but obviously it's the Elitloppet. It'll be a tough race, there's some great trotters there."

Among the horses that Stoletheshow will lock horns against in his elimination are the last two Elitloppet champions, as 2021 winner Don Fanucci Zet has post one for driver Örjan Kihlström and trainer Daniel Redén, and last year's victor Etonnant drew the four-hole for driver Anthony Barrier and trainer Richard Westerink. Like Stoletheshow, Etonnant also was in the Yonkers International Trot a year ago but was stuck in the clogged outer tier and then made a break. However, that experience apparently hasn't dulled Westerink's enthusiasm for a return trip to the U.S. as Etonnant showed up on the list of eligibles for the John Cashman Memorial at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day.

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As for Svanstedt, who won the 2004 Elitloppet with Gidde Palema and the 2009 edition with Torvald Palema, both of whom he also trained, he has picked up the drive behind Hail Mary, a 7-year-old by Googoo Gaagaa, in the second elimination (race seven). Hail Mary, the runner-up to Etonnant in last year's final, prepped twice at Solvalla for the Elitloppet and was victorious on each occasion. He drew post four and Svanstedt is optimistic about his chances.

"He has raced two times this year and won. He was very good, and the trainer said he is in top form," he offered. "I am excited to see how he is. It's a fun trip."

Hail Mary's competition includes the favorite for the event in San Moteur from post six for trainer-driver Björn Goop. San Moteur won the Group 1 Paralympic Trot at Åby in his last start and has been defeated only once (a second-place finish) in his last nine outings overall. The well-traveled Vivid Wise As, who has raced in the Elitloppet three times before, including a second to Don Fanucci Zet, is also in the second elimination, having drawn post seven for Matthieu Abrivard and Alessandro Gocciadoro.

The two eliminations are scheduled to take place at 9:28 and 9:55 AM (EDT), with the same-day final slated for 11:45 AM. The first four finishers from each elimination will advance.

On the Elitloppet undercard, last year's Dan Patch Award-winning 3-year-old filly trotter Joviality S will take part in the Group 2 Elite race for 4-year-old mares (race nine), leaving from post nine for driver Erik Adielsson and trainer Sabine Kagebrant. Joviality S won her elimination and the final of the Group 1 Queen Silvia's Cup on April 21 and May 6 at Åby to kick off her Swedish campaign. There is also a Group 1 event, the Håkan Wallner Memorial, for 3-year-old trotters in race 10.

The full Elitloppet eliminations with listed driver/trainer are as follows:

Elimination #1 - Race 6

1-Don Fanucci Zet-Örjan Kihlström/Daniel Redén
2-Önas Prince-Per Nordström trains/drives
3-Stoletheshow-Dexter Dunn/Frode Hamre
4-Etonnant-Anthony Barrier/Richard Westerink
5-Vernissage Grif-Alessandro Gocciadoro trains/drives
6-Go On Boy-Romain Derieux trains/drives
7-Just Believe-Greg Sugars/Jess Tubbs
8-Brother Bill-Magnus A. Djuse/Timo Nurmos

Elimination #2 - Race 7

1-Best Ofdream Trio-Kim Eriksson/Erik Killingmo
2-Ultion Face-Adrian Kolgjini trains/drives
3-Mister Hercules-Santtu Raitala/Daniel Redén
4-Hail Mary-Ake Svanstedt/Daniel Redén
5-Hohneck-Gabriele Gelormini/Philippe Allaire
6-San Moteur-Björn Goop trains/drives
7-Vivid Wise As-Matthieu Abrivard/Alessandro Gocciadoro
8-Usain Töll-Alexandre Abrivard/Vitale Ciotola