High On Pepper takes Orebro International

The Tina Dale Brauti bred and Pepper AB/Sikstoone HB owned High On Pepper (6g Ready Cash-Piece Of Work-Yankee Glide) overcame a 40 meter harness racing handicap to capture the Gr. II International Orebro International at Orebro Racecourse in Sweden (April 27) clocked in 1.13.3kr over 3180 meters.

This Stayerlopp victory was the winner’s fourth in five 2024 starts after he won 10 of 16 last year. Jorma Kontio teamed the Katja Melkko trainee that was off at 3.43/1 odds. S.I.P. (5m Bar Hopping-Barbara Brooks-Cantab Hall) was second for Orjan Kihlstrom at 12.38/1 this one also handicapped 40 meters and trained by Daniel Reden for Brixton Medical and Hatfield Stable. Leroy Boko (6g Trixton-Danae F. Boko-Ken Warkentin) was third at 47.5/1 for trainer/driver Conrad Luqauer. The winner earned 34,400€ or 400,000SEK first money.

While High On Pepper will hopefully get the Elitloppet ’24 nod, the France stalwart Horsy Dream did today become the seventh invitee, This Pierre Belloche trainer has won 19 times in 42 starts for 830,670€ earned. He most recently won Enghien’s Prix de L’Atlantique in record time 1.10.2kr over 2150 meters.

Back to Orebro today, the STL Gold (purse to winner 12,900€ or 150,000SEK) went to 1.53/1 odds favorite Mister Hercules (7m Trixton-Baghdad Dream-Yankee Glide) timed in 1.10.5kr over 1609 meters autostart. Orjan Kihlstrom teamed this Daniel Reden trainee for Stall Zet. He was bred by Jean Pierre Barjon of France and he now has 18 career wins 42 starts.

Clarissa (6f Exploit Caf-Nikelia-Lemon Dra) was a game second for trainer/driver Alessandro Gocciadoro at 4.8/1 odds. This mare had not raced in nearly four months and battled on the outer four wide for a considerable time. Third was Dats So Cool (9g Classic Photo-No Entry-Windsong’s Legacy with Erik Adielsson aboard.

There were other good races on the program today. The STL Mares Elite went to 1.11.9kr timed Riet Hazelaar (6f SJs Caviar) with Daniel Wajeasten aboard at 5.6/1 odds earning 9,460€ first money in the 2100 meter autostart course. She defeated 2.4/1 Felicia Zet (6f Ready Cash-Pampered Princess-Andover Hall) for the Kihlstrom/Reden team.

The STL Silver (10,750€ to the winner, 2100 meters autostart) saw Combat Fighter (5g From Above-Days Of Glory-Easy Lover) score in 1.13.1kr at 4/1 odds, besting Winterburn (6g Ready Cash-Eileen Boko-Muscle Hill) handled by Kihlstrom for Mattias Djuse.

Finally, the STL Bronze went to Hipster K at 5.8/1 as the son of Sebastian K scored in 1.11.0kr over 1609 meters autostart. He earned 9,460€ first money with Erik Adielsson deriving for trainer Bjorn Noren

At MI Meadowlands the probable Hambletonian favorite Karl (3m Tactical Landing) qualified in 1:52.1 over the mile with a sparkling :54.1 final half. Yannick Gimgras teamed the Nancy Takter trainee.

In news on the Finlandio Ajo set for May 5 the previously named starter Vivid Wise As is out and will be replaced by another Gocciadoro trainee named Catullo Jet. This recent winner is owned by the Denver Nuggets basketball star Nikola Jokic. More Elite Race invites could come from this classic race. The new field is shown below.

On May 3 the already invited Elitloppet starter Francesco Zet makes his first 2024 start at Rattvik for Daniel Reden. The son of Father Patrick is already an Elite top tier choice despite a long layoff.

ATG, Veikkaus, Finlandia, Solvalla, Meadowlands, Trotteur Francais files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink