Volstead progeny dominate $100,000 Breeders Crown 2YO Finals

Swedish Group One winning stallion, Volstead, built upon an already extraordinary debut season in the harness racing stallion ranks with his progeny reigning supreme down under yet again.

In what transpired to be a cold and wet evening at Victorian headquarters, the 2023 Group One $100,000 Breeders Crown 2YO Trotting Finals at Tabcorp Park Melton became all about the new stallion on the block with scintillating wins by firstly his son, Val Thorens, and 30 minutes later, his daughter Nordic Reign.

Volstead is the current leading first season trotting stallion in Australia and had managed to produce five runners in the respective two 2YO divisions. To put that in perspective, five progeny in the Breeders Crown Trotting divisions was only matched by leading sire Father Patrick, however he did have eligible three-year-olds to count on.

For Volstead to produce five with the precocious nature and speed required to qualify for the Breeders Crown finals suggests he is a stallion with a bit of class, after all he’s produced the goods in New Zealand and North America this season also. The fact his numbers are even lighter abroad than they are in Australia suggests a stallion who was more than a little bit overlooked.

It’s becoming more prominent for North American bred horses and their bloodlines in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia or more specifically, Sweden, where the US based stallions comprise six of the top ten on the juvenile sires list.

Volstead was a $50,000 Lexington Selected Sales purchase back in 2012 before being exported to Sweden to do his racing. He carried exclusively North American blood being a son of Cantab H all out of the Yankee Glide mare, Madame Volo. He won 23 races including 10 at Group or Feature/Listed level with the Swedish with the G1 Gulddivisionen his crowing glory.

As we have found out with Australian products, Just Believe and Maori Time heading over the pond to have a crack at the Swedes in their backyard, there is still a chasm in the talent gap between our best and theirs.

And yet despite having runs on the board in the cauldron of Sweden, Volstead produced less than 100 foals globally in his first season at stud. Not enough to warrant travelling back Down Under, however that is likely set to be rectified in due course.

Nordic Reigns performance in the 2YO Trotting Fillies Final was one of the highlights of the stellar evening which had attracted purses north of $1.15 million to be won.

Father-son, trainer-driver duo John and Matt Newberry teamed up with the daughter of Volstead for their maiden Group 1 triumph in what was clearly an emotional victory for the family.

“She is a very professional filly and she behaved really well with the pressure of the race,” said Matt Newberry post race.

“I was a little worried halfway up the straight. All That Remains is a tough filly and she just wouldnt go away, but over that last 20m we started to get away again which was really good.

“She was very brave, and it was one of those things where she had never so she has never had to tow me through it. I’m a little heavier then some of the others out there, but she just showed her class tonight and not having the likes of Violet Stanford set the race up for her if she was good enough.

The daughter of Volstead led from barrier three and held on to beat a brave All That Remains, who boxed on well for second ahead of Centurion Dream.

“She will have a good break now and probably at this point, first target when she comes back in the new season will be the NSW Oaks,” said Newberry when asked about the immediate plans for his G1 trotting star.

NORDIC REIGN REPLAY

One race earlier, it was Volstead’s son, Val Thorens, who saved his maiden win for the Group 1 stage with a faultless trotting performance in the final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Trained by Anton Golino and driven by Nathan Jack, the son of Volstead trailed leader Thunda Struck throughout the race, peeled off his back at the turn and raced away to claim his first career victory after seven prior attempts.

“Hes been getting better and better and it’s a credit to the team at home,” said Nathan Jack post race about the enigmatic Val Thorens.

“He has been hard work, but I have been begging and begging them to persevere with him because he has shown me a lot and I really like this horse.

“It worked out perfect, the boys were a bit keen early so that helped a lot. I think next year you are going to see a real good horse,” he said.

VAL THORENS REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink