V85® (Saturday): "He's in top form for this weekend – should have a good chance"
Sven Kuce's break of stride with a spot in the Derby on the line is not something Thomas Madsen will forget anytime soon.
On Saturday, the Kalmar trainer hopes to get some consolation with a V85® victory.
"The horse has been prepared to be in top form this weekend, and I believe in him a lot."
Jägersro is getting ready for the most important weekend of the year. There will be racing over two days, with V85® on both Saturday and Sunday. The Swedish Trotting Derby will also be contested on Sunday – one of the most prestigious races a trotter can win.
It has been a difficult few days for Kalmar trainer Thomas Madsen. His Sven Kuce made a break that cost him a seemingly certain spot in the Derby on the stretch. Sven Kuce was trotting twice as fast as his competitors at that point and showed that he is one of the best horses in the crop.
"It has been and still is difficult to deal with. By far, it is the toughest thing I have experienced since becoming a trainer. You only get one chance, and for me, as someone running a smaller operation, this opportunity may never come again," says Thomas Madsen.
Supposed to be in top form this weekend
Instead of competing in the Derby final, Sven Kuce will start in the Bronze Division on V85 on Saturday. That means Sven Kuce will face older and more experienced competitors.
"I don't think that will make much difference. Sven Kuce is tough and a hard individual; nobody is going to psych him out. He has both the speed and strength that a top horse should have."
If we go back a little over a week, why did he make that break?
"He was going incredibly fast at that point. He was down to a 1:05 pace, and that turn at Jägersro is heavily banked. He almost came down to the inside with the speed he was carrying, and it simply became a little too much for him. He races with knee boots, and he may have touched himself a little as well."
How does he feel in training?
"Everything feels the way it should. He's not that serious in training and mostly just plays around in his workouts; everything is normal with him. He doesn't waste energy either in training or in races. Sometimes he almost looks completely uninterested in races, but as soon as he gets a clear path, he's a completely different horse, and then he has fantastic acceleration."
How do you assess his chances of winning?
"I think they should be good. The horse has been prepared to be in top form this weekend. The post doesn't matter that much because he's not that fast out of the gate, so obviously I'm happy with post three. I won't make any changes to his shoeing or equipment."
What does the fall plan look like for Sven Kuce?
"Hopefully he puts in a good race on Saturday and qualifies for the STL finals on October 10. Then it's a month until the Breeders' Crown semifinals, which fits well timing-wise. Naturally, we hope he can make it to the final, which is held in early November."
The Kalmar trainer also has Sven Kuce's older sister Ebba Kuce entered.
"She was really positive last time, which was very encouraging. She wasn't at her best in the start before that, and it turned out that she had Lyme disease. I hadn't trained her particularly hard, but in her final workout before the start at Tingsryd, I felt that the old Ebba was back. She was a little cranky and fired up."
Then presumably she should be even better for this start?
"Yes, I definitely think so. She continues to feel really good and has come out of the race the right way."
What do you think about her chances of winning?
"She has a second-tier post, and I think she's better from behind these days. She has tired herself out on the lead a few times, and we're saving her speed, which she will have to do from this post. The driver can drive her conservatively, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's up there fighting for it, but expecting her to win may be a little far-fetched."