V85®: Has a good feeling – barefoot all around for the first time
Redén and Wäjersten are the giants in Saturday’s Breeders Crown finals
But those looking for upsets in the rich pick 8 game should keep Claes Sjöström in mind.
“I’ll head out with a good feeling behind Olle Sting,” says the Solvalla trainer.
Saturday’s V85® races are all about the young horses — it’s time for the Breeders Crown finals, featuring most of the country’s best three- and four-year-olds.
Sweden’s leading trainers, Daniel Redén and Daniel Wäjersten, look well-positioned going into the finals, but for those chasing the big payouts, Claes Sjöström’s trio deserves attention.
“Of course, we’ll need a bit of luck, but the horses are in good shape, and a lot can happen this late in the season. Form can vary quite a bit, especially for the three-year-olds. Saturday will be very exciting, and my strongest feeling is for Olle Sting,” says Claes Sjöström.
The Solvalla trainer is like a fine vintage wine — he keeps getting better, both as a trainer and driver. His training operation has a win percentage of just over 20, and he has already surpassed last year’s record earnings of SEK 7.4 million.
“It’s all about long-term thinking. I want to keep developing myself and my stable all the time, and I think we’re doing that. I’m a curious, open-minded person who's not at all afraid to try new things. Sure, you can fail sometimes, but from a broader perspective, you have to dare to tweak things.”
Successful focus on young horses
In recent years, the stable has enjoyed increasing success with younger trotters. This year alone, Sjöström has started five two-year-olds, and Neutron Star won one of the eliminations for Svensk Uppfödningslöpning and will be among the favorites when the final takes place at Jägersro on November 22.
“It’s getting a little better every year. We decided to focus more on young horses when prize money increased, especially for three-year-olds. We’ve bought more yearlings and had between 15 and 20 the past few years. I’m happy with the results so far and hope we can keep improving.”
The first of his three horses to race on Saturday is 10 Time To Run in the opening V85 leg.
“She got started early and continues to develop. She had a small dip this summer due to some throat issues. Now we’ve targeted this race, and her effort in the elimination was her best performance so far. She’s versatile, but in this field, she’ll need to save energy — I’ll drive her patiently and go for it at the finish. I expect a good performance, and we’ll see how far it takes us. No changes.”
In V85-2, he sends out two horses and drives 9 Olle Sting himself.
“Everything’s great with him. He started early too — he raced once as a two-year-old and won easily without being trained to be sharp, and he’s rarely been tired after a race. He raced well in the spring, but during the summer, he went through a growth phase and wasn’t at his best. We decided to skip the E3 races and aim for the fall. Our first goal was the Swedish Trotting Criterium, but he had too tough a race in the elimination. He bounced back last time and finished strongly. His form is really coming now, and he feels excellent. He’ll race barefoot all around for the first time. I’ll head into the race with a good feeling, even though I know we’ll need some racing luck.”
Stablemate 6 You Bow to No One will be driven by Björn Goop for the first time.
“He was excellent as a two-year-old and earned SEK 450,000. He’s managed the money well and is very consistent and reliable. You Bow to No One is very quick from the start, and there’s a chance he could reach the lead — after that, it’s up to Björn to choose the tactics. The horse’s form is good, but keep in mind he’s been in several finals this year and has already peaked twice. I’m not sure he has a third top in him — he’s more the consistent type. I’m not planning any equipment changes.”