Young man being heard around the globe

He is truly a young man whose figure in the harness racing industry is increasingly taking on a global dimension.

From America to Europe but also to Australia and New Zealand, 31-year-old Filippo Lago from Italy, is becoming known throughout the racing industry world.

But why, despite being so young, is knowledge of him becoming worldwide?

When we asked him, Filippo modestly lets us know that he tries to do his best every day in the various sectors of horse racing.

“In Italy I write for the Vendopuledri.it site,” Filippo explained. “It’s one of the main sites frequented by Italian professionals dealing with foreign trotting. This has been happening for a few years now and over time it has allowed me to get to know professionals from all over the world, sometimes personally, other times only through telephone contact.

“For Vendopuledri.it,” Filippo said. “I am interested not only in the most important races in the world, but also in auctions, training changes, breeding, in short everything related to horse racing in the world. The countries I follow most are the United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark. Finland, Norway, Germany, Holland, France, Australia and New Zealand.

“Just to give you an example,” Filippo explained.” Today I’m looking at the New Zealand National Standardbred Yearling Sales which will take place in February next year. I also write for the prestigious magazine “Il Trottatore”, the publication for Italian breeders. For this magazine I interviewed Andrea Bocelli recently,” Filippo said. “He is a great horse enthusiast.”

Filippo has also become a point of reference for many of the breeders in Italy who very often rely on his advice and, also his numerous lists of contacts.

“I am a breeder myself,” Filippo explained. “I currently have four mares of which three are in-foal. For this reason, it is easy for me to work with crosses and genealogies, it is often also a mental job that I have been used to doing since I was a child.

“I have been involved in foreign trotting every day, at all hours, for a few years. So, I imagine it is important for breeders to understand what air we breathe outside national borders. I get many inquiries now that breeders know I can assist them.”

Being of the younger generation, Filippo makes the most out of technology. At times he is researching or writing on his computer in Italian, and he is on his cell phone emailing in English.

“Technology is indispensable for my job and in my daily life,” Filippo says, “It helps me immensely with research and helps me maintain and develop relationships around the world with other professionals.”

Filippo is also the gentleman from Italy who received world acclaim for his “Gougeon Project”.

“It’s true,” confirms Filippo. “With my family we bred a colt we named Gougeon (Oropuro Bar), and offered 100 shares, and most of the co-owners are our fellow citizens in my hometown of Galliera Veneta, a small town north of Padua which overall has about 8,000 inhabitants.”

The story of Gougeon, who is currently training in the Lorenzo Baldi’s Stable, has had incredible and unexpected media relevance in Filippo’s life.

“The American press has talked about it,” Filippo proudly said.  “The French press which will soon cover this project again, and the Italian press. In Italy, the main newspapers and the most important national TV channels came to our farm to tell the story on how we have gotten a town to own a share of a trotter.

“Just a few days ago,” Filippo added. “I brought a speech of mine to a public debate created by the Ministry of Agriculture at Fieracavalli in Verona, where Dr. Remo Chiodi, current Director of Horse Racing at the Ministry of Agriculture, was also present.

“I made some important ministerial authorities aware of my project,” Filippo said. “Putting at the center of the discussion the use of technology regarding the co-ownership of racehorses, technology which is still lacking here in Italy while bureaucracy is too present.”

Returning with Filippo to his current activities in the equestrian field abroad, he recounts his latest activities with great enthusiasm.

“For a few days I have been working on Offspring International’s  (offspringab.com) social profiles, Twitter and Instagram,” Filippo explained. “I am truly honored to be part of a high-profile team like that of Offspring International and even more, I am happy to have met a great expert in international trotting who in some ways, as far as I am concerned, has been and continues to be an example of excellence. His name is Robert Lindstrom.

“Following Offspring International’s social communication is a job that keeps me very busy,” Filippo said. “But at the same time gives me great satisfaction because it “forces” me to constantly follow the whole world of horse racing and this allows me to always be informed.

“The work I do for Vendopuledri.it and the work I do for Offspring International run parallel,” Filippo explained. “The only substantial difference is that for Vendopuledri.it I deal with 360-degree foreign trotting. No matter what the pedigree of a winning or top price horse is, it is my duty to give the information impartially.

“As far as Offspring International is concerned,” Filippo explained, “I carry out a more limited job as it is my duty to pay attention to the offspring of the Offspring International stallions, both with regards to racing, but not only, in general everything that may concern the “Offspring International world.”

Filippo says his work at Offspring International is very stimulating as the stallion roster is very extensive and the quality of the stallions are excellent.

“As a breeder,” Filippo said. “I don’t say anything about my preferences regarding Offspring International stallions. For my currently pregnant mares, I can say that I chose Ecurie D, International Moni and Nad Al Sheba, even if the latter is not an Offspring International stallion but a “pillar” stallion of the current Italian trotting community.

“When I saw the list for 2024,” Filippo said. “I was very satisfied with the new entries. I saw Volume Eight, a horse that I have followed in my chronicles and with a great pedigree, as well as Temporal Hanover, another protagonist of American trotting in recent times. I cannot fail to mention Krack Time Atout and Tetrick Wania, also new proposals in the Offspring International offer, two horses with different characteristics but both with great genealogy.”

We end our conversation with Filippo while he was busy with a client in Denmark. What are you even doing with Denmark we ask him jokingly?

He explained the work he is carrying out was “for a few days I have been in rather frequent contact with Jens Glud Hansen and Kristen Odegaard. They deal with Selected Sales, i.e. international auctions that take place online. This is a compelling project that intrigues me and I am giving them help with their upcoming auctions on December 3rd which I invite you to follow. Who knows, maybe a brilliant collaboration could arise with them too.”

Filippo Lago is most definitely a mover and shaker with an extremely bright future in harness racing. His outgoing nature to learn more, help others and work at improving and promoting the industry in a world-wide level is very encouraging for this young man.

We are sure to hear more about Filippo Lago in the near future.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink