V85®: Raising the bar toward five in a row
Sundancekid has impressed in four consecutive victories.
On Saturday, the talented trotter faces an even tougher challenge as he comes out in V85 at Romme.
“Of course, he should be considered, but things have to work out along the way,” says his trainer and driver, Kevin Svedlund.
Sundancekid (V85–1) was a bit of a late bloomer, and ten months into his four-year-old season, he has made just six starts. But in those appearances, he’s shown flashes of brilliance. After opening with a second place and a break, he has since reeled off four straight wins, the latest coming in the style of a true class horse — a close victory after grinding it out from the outside of the leader.
“Now he understands what racing is all about, and he’s been improving all the time,” says Svedlund, who sees a bright future for his emerging star.
“It feels like he’s going to become a Saturday horse once he matures a bit more and gains some strength. There’s a lot of development left in him. He’s already very strong, but I think he’ll get even stronger — and then the speed will come too. For now, I’d say his strength and attitude are his best assets.”
You say he’ll be a Saturday horse. Isn’t he already one?
“In terms of ability, definitely. He won in 1:14 last time in a very good way and wasn’t all out doing it.”
Tricky post position
This time, Sundancekid races in Class 3 versus Class 2 of the Swedish Trotting League (STL). The race is capped at SEK 300,000 in lifetime earnings, with those above SEK 175,000 starting 20 meters behind. With 124,000 SEK on his account, Sundancekid begins on the starting distance, and the distance 2,640 meters should suit the strong trotter perfectly. However, post 8, inside post in the second tier, could prove tricky.
“It is what it is, and we’ll race along the pylons and see where we end up. If you try to get out too early, it can get tough — you’ll end up giving cover to the others from behind. We’ll see how the race unfolds — if anyone breaks, for instance — and then decide what to do.”
How should bettors rate his chances?
“Of course, he deserves respect, but things have to go smoothly. You can’t just throw him three-wide and expect to go around them all — this is V85 after all.”