Legendary Lover K dies at 27

This great international harness racing trotting champion, Legendary Lover K, died this day at the farm of Tomas Kozak in Slovenia.

The son of Armbro Goal, bred by Glesmann and Key, was purchased for $3,200 as a yearling at Tattersalls Lexington by Annemette B. Minor in 1998. He raced successfully in the US winning eight of 22 starts for over $208,000 before he was sold and exported by Knut, Christiansen and Toniatti of Italy and Denmark.

Over six seasons in Europe he won 22 times in 55 starts and ended his racing career with over $1,716,000 earned. Below are his racing accomplishments and pedigree chart:

At 3, Winner of New Jersey Sire Stake, Horseman Futurity, third in Stanley Dancer Trot. At 4, Winner of Fyraåringseliten, Momarken Grand Prix. At 5, Winner of Elite-Rennen, Copenhagen Cup, Kymi Grand Prix, Momarken Grand Prix, second in Grosser Preis von Bayern, Åby Stora Pris, Gran Premio Renzo Orlandi, Gran Premio Della Lotteria, Preis der Besten, third in Gran Premio Delle Nazioni, Hugo Åbergs Memorial. At 6, second in Gran Premio Renzo Orlandi, Gran Premio U.N.I.R.E, Gran Premio Della Lotteria, third in Campionato Europeo. At 7, Winner of Gran Premio Renzo Orlandi, Gran Premio Della Lotteria, second in Breeders’ Crown, third in Gran Premio Gaetano Turilli. At 8, third in Gran Premio Renzo Orlandi.

From 2005-2018 Legendary Lover K produced 228 foals mostly in Italy and Denmark, with modest success led by Martillo Rosso that won over 404,000€ with 12 wins in 33 starts including classic wins in Italy as a three-year old.

Separately it was reported that Explosive Matter was euthanized at age 18 in Finland. He raced, winning $1,510,542 from 11 career wins in 19 plus starts in the US and Internationally taking a speed record of 1:52,3 at the Meadowlands in 2009, and then stood at stud for nine years at Hanover Shoe Farm until he was sold and exported in 2019. Global Farm AM (Sweden) acquired Explosive Matter. His racing exploits follow along with his pedigree chart:

At 2, Winner of Matron Stakes Final, second in Breeders’ Crown. At 3, Winner of Colonial Trot, Historic Dickerson Cup, second in Canadian Trotting Classic, Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity, Stanley Dancer Trot.

His breeding records are shown below, first the Blodbanken reports and then the US Trotting Association statistics (683 registered foals in the US over the years 2010-2018. In the USA he produced Hambletonian winning gelding Pinkman, a winner of over $2,580,000 with a speed record of 1:51.0 as a three-year old. Pinkman was named the Dan Patch three-year-old trotter of the year for that season’s work. He also sired three other $800,000 plus career earners, Outburst, Phaetosive and Rich And Miserable.

Blodbanken, US Trotting Association, Facebook files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink