Harness: Strom seeks to keep good luck going in Sunday's Elitloppet

Now is a good time to be Anders Ström, proprietor of the Courant Inc. stable. His Cruzado Dela Noche won the $1 million Yonkers International Trot last year and the first big stakes engagement of 2019 in the United States for aged trotters, the Cutler Memorial at the Meadowlands. He might have the top three favorites for the Hambletonian in defending Breeders Crown and Dan Patch Award winner Gimpanzee, the wickedly-fast Greenshoe, and multi-time stakes winner Green Manalishi S, and he goes for glory in Sunday's Elitloppet at Solvalla Racetrack in Sweden with Disco Volante.

Disco Volante, a 6-year-old gelding by 2001 Hambletonian champion Scarlet Knight, will line up from post two in the first elimination heat on Sunday for trainer Stefan Melander and driver Jorma Kontio. A 19-time winner in his career, Disco Volante is entering the Elitloppet off a win in his elimination and a second in the final of the prestigious Gran Premio Lotteria earlier this month in Italy, which like the Elitloppet is contested with the elims and the final on the same day.

"The great Italian trainer and breeder Federico Tesio’s theory about abundant nervous energy as the source for willpower and determination in superior horses really applies to Disco Volante," said Ström. "He has so much energy that he can’t be stabled inside the barn – instead he spends his time in the paddock 24/7. Furthermore, his trainer Stefan Melander and groom Jenny Gustafsson train or jog him at least six days, or often all days, in a week. He is a tough cookie this one.

"One important attribute is that he is super quick behind the gate, which, of course, is key on a five-eighths-mile track. From post two that means we have a good chance to see him in front on Sunday."

In addition to his gate speed, two other key things Disco Volante has working in his favor against the stout competition he'll meet up with in the Elitloppet are that he has experience racing multiple times in one day from competing in the Gran Premio Lotteria, and he is stabled close to the track, giving him a sort of "home-court" advantage.

"He managed two heats well in Napoli. The reason he tired a bit in the second heat was explicitly because racing without shoes wasn’t optimal on that track on that day," explained Ström. "He also had a huge handicap by the long trip to get to Napoli; it took three days. On Sunday he has less than an hour to get to Solvalla, and the track will be better for him."

One of the horses Disco Volante will face off with in his elimination is pre-race favorite Readly Express. Last year's Prix d'Amerique champion, Readly Express comes into Sunday off three straight wins, claiming the Prix De France and the Grand Critérium de Vitesse in France and the Finlandia Ajo in Finland. He drew outside on Sunday, starting from post seven in the eight-horse field, but Ström doesn't see that as much of a hindrance.

"Readly Express is the most capable in that heat. I expect him to get first-over and from there (driver) Björn Goop can control the heat," he offered. "His biggest threat is, of course, Propulsion (who is in the other elimination), but also that Readly Express is inexperienced over two heats. But he has a great trainer in Timo Nurmos and he surely knows what he is doing."

Unfortunately for fans and followers of the sport here in North America, this will be the second consecutive year no horse in the Elitloppet represents the United States or Canada. Three of the horses (Propulsion, Milligan's School, and Double Exposure) were bred here and another one, Day Or Night In, is by Muscle Hill, but Ström feels that the industry is really missing out by not having North America's best in Sweden to make it a truly international event.

"I am disappointed by this. The whole industry can gain from greater exchange, not the least breeders and owners of stallions who could benefit from the great showcase this weekend is," said Ström, "But Solvalla will have to cooperate more, and the US tracks and industry need to be more efficient as well. If Solvalla could plan earlier ahead and offer a smooth charter from let's say Newark directly to Bromma (where Solvalla is situated), and the US racing schedule could take the Elitloppet into account, that would be great for everyone. I personally don’t like appearance money, but prize money to all starters that complete the Elitloppet race could be an idea. It takes off some of the risk with making the trip for long-distance travelers.

"We had Cruzado Dela Noche as a potential contender, but shipping to France or Belgium, which was on offer, then transporting all the way up north was not ideal for the horse. Instead, we can, for example, stay in the US and race in the Maxie Lee, which is more optimal for his future planning."

So while the faces may not be totally familiar to those of us watching from abroad, the field is still stocked with talent, and there’s rarely a shortage of intrigue in the race. The first elimination on Sunday is scheduled to go off at 8:55 A.M. eastern, with the second one to follow at 9:22 A.M. The top four finishers from each elimination will return for the final at 11:20 A.M.

Elimination 1

1-Makethemark (Ulf Ohlsson/Petri Salmela)

2-Disco Volante (Jorma Kontio/Stefan Melander)

3-Double Exposure (Erik Adielsson/Daniel Redén)

4-Next Direction (Iikka Nurmonen/Timo Hulkkonen)

5-Looking Superb (Åke Svanstedt/Jean-Michel Bazire)

6-Uza Josselyn (Gabriele Gelormini/René Aebischer)

7-Readly Express (Björn Goop/Timo Nurmos)

8-Sorbet Carl (Johan Jepson/Daniel Redén)

Elimination 2

1-Aubrion du Gers (Joseph Verbeeck/Jean-Michel Bazire)

2-Milligan's School (Ulf Eriksson/Stefan Melander)

3-Bahia Quesnot (Junior Guelpa/Junior Guelpa)

4-Day or Night In (Johan Untersteiner/Johan Untersteiner)

5-Propulsion (Örjan Kihlström/Daniel Redén)

6-Milliondollarrhyme (Fredrik B. Larsson/Fredrik B. Larsson)

7-Heavy Sound (Kenneth Haugstad/Daniel Redén)

8-Dijon (Romain Derieux/Romain Derieux)