V75® (Sunday): Lövgren could fix a Swedish celebration in the Danish Derby
A Golden Opportunity for a Swedish Victory in the Danish Derby.
Kreadlys Lew impressed strongly in his elimination and is seen by most as the favorite to beat.
"He was really good last time and has been consistent in his form all season," says trainer Joakim Lövgren ahead of Sunday’s classic in Copenhagen.
As August turns into September, it’s Derby season.
In Sweden, we’ll have to wait until next Sunday to crown the best four-year-old of the crop, but in Denmark it happens already this Sunday at Charlottenlund.
The prestigious four-year-old stake, raced since 1898, looks to have a good chance of producing a Swedish celebration this year.
The Jägersro licensed trainer Joakim Lövgren has a hot contender in 3 Kreadlys Lew (V75-6), who in the eliminations last time out impressed greatly, winning with ease in by far the fastest time of the day.
"He was really good last time, and the horse has been consistent in his form throughout the season, developing steadily. He’s a grateful horse to work with, always progressing, and he’s never had any injuries or issues. Things have gone according to plan, you could say," says Lövgren, adding:
"He’s fought well this season and was in the King's Trophy too, but didn’t get much out of it. We ran into trouble and traffic issues, but without that he probably would have been much further up in that race."
An interesting factor in the Danish Derby is that the distances differ from the elimination heats to the final.
While the heats are raced over 2,500 meterst, the final is contested over 3,000 meters on Sunday.
"It’s probably those extra 500 meters that most often make the biggest difference. We’ve tried him over 2,600 meters a few times, and he’s handled it well, but it’s hard to say exactly how much the extra distance will affect him. We’ll find out on Sunday."
Kreadlys Lew is likely to start as the favorite. How does you feel about that?
"That’s not really important to me, odds and such, but the horse has been good all season and was good in the elimination, so we’ll give it a shot."
Costly break last time – redemption now?
Lövgren heads into Sunday’s Charlottenlund V75® with three more starters.
Already in the opening leg, a long-distance race, he sends out 3 Baron D. Sox (V75-1). The five-year-old last appeared in an STL race on the Åby Stora Pris day but made a costly break in a good spot coming out of the final turn. Was it possibly the victory that slipped away?
"It could have been, but of course we’ll never know. He felt strong and good at that point. He lost focus a bit coming out of the bend, something he’s done before at Åby in the same spot. The opposition might be tougher this time, but his form is there and he can go pretty far."
Later, in the third division, Lövgren lines up 3 L’Amiral S.J.S. (V75-3).
A horse who actually won on the same race day last year. Most recently, however, he finished well beaten in Halmstad. Lövgren explains:
"He choked himself, plain and simple. We had tried a new bit on him, but he became very stressed and sharp before and during the race and couldn’t get enough air. Now we’re going back to his previous equipment, and otherwise he’s felt very good in training since. The conditions of the race should be fairly suitable, even if I don’t yet know the opponents. His form is actually pretty good, and the draw is excellent. He has done well for us all along, especiallyl last year, even if he hasn’t had the same results this season."
Finally, 4 Stan Wawrinka (V75-7) rounds off the V75. He looked strong when finishing second last time out?
"Yes, I think he was a notch better than usual last time. I’ve been waiting for him to really hit his stride. He’s a big-framed horse who hasn’t been in peak form this season, but last time was a step forward. It feels positive in that sense—it was probably the best I’ve felt from him, and he’s trained well since. But at the same time, he’s not a horse that wins very often, and he could really use a few more victories," concludes Joakim Lövgren.