V85®: Tough test for Unforgettable A.Y. – but Pihlström wouldn't trade horses with anyone

Six straight wins, the last five coming in the Swedish Trotting League, and more than SEK 1 million earned this year.
Unforgettable A.Y. has become one of the hottest trotters in the country after her locomotive-like charge in recent months.
When the Swedish Championship card with V85® is held at Åby this Saturday, she faces the biggest challenge of her career so far in the Swedish Championships for mares.
"The post isn't good, but I still wouldn't want to trade horses with anyone, if I'm being honest," says trainer Markus Pihlström.

The Swedish Championship day at Åby. A highlight of the fall where Swedish championship titles will be awarded in no fewer than seven categories.
The Swedish Championships for mares, which opens V85 on Saturday afternoon, has a particularly high-quality field, and among most of the country's most accomplished mares is the big up-and-comer 7 Unforgettable A.Y. (V85-1).
And the five-year-old's charge in recent months has certainly been unforgettable.
Since the mare joined Markus Pihlström's stable ahead of the season, she has seven wins and one second-place finish in eight starts. Her five most recent, consecutive wins have come in the STL – and in majestic fashion.
"She has done very well and won all her starts comfortably, with a margin over her rivals. She hasn't raced in the very highest class yet, though. Sure, we met and beat La Yuca, but otherwise it has perhaps been the class below the very toughest. But as I said, she has done very well, and now we've trained hard so that we can come well prepared for this start. I even had Daniel Wäjersten drive her in a workout on Thursday, and he was more than pleased. It was a serious workout," says the Bergsåker trainer when we reach him on Sunday evening.
It's been five weeks since her last start. Is this the race you've been targeting for a while now?
"Yes, absolutely. We've had this race in mind for the past month, or since August 19 when she last won at Solvalla. And everything has gone exactly as expected in training, so there will be no excuses if things don't go well on Saturday."

Racks up wins – and develops with each race
Unforgettable A.Y. has earned more than SEK 1 million in her five most recent starts, but judging by the impression she has made in those wins, one can assume there are still additional resources left in the five-year-old mare.
"No, we haven't seen her bottom yet. I know that. She doesn't win with that much left in the tank when she trots the times she does, but last time she won in 1:11 time without being asked, and of course there was a little left. That time at Axevalla, she won in a low 1:10 time in pouring rain, so yes, she can trot the same times as the elite. Now she has five straight STL wins, and at a fairly high level at that, so it's not like she's been racing in any easier races... She faces tough horses and develops from that as well."
Are there any plans and ideas for the her after Saturday's start?
"We're looking a little toward France. First, this race is what matters, so we'll see whether she measures up against the best. It's a bit of a test, and then we'll see. But yes, we're looking a little toward France because she hasn't made that many starts this year either. We've taken it pretty easy with her racing schedule specifically so that we could have a horse that would last all fall, if that were to be the case."
The Swedish Championships for mares on Saturday. It's a very tough field, and then you drew a post far out on the gate?
"It's tough. Daim Brodda, for example, has faced the best, we're facing a fourth-place finisher from the International Trot in Betting Pacer, and there are many other really good mares in there. We're facing Sweden's best mares, and we're hardly missing anyone. The post isn't good, of course, but I still wouldn't want to trade horses with anyone, if I'm being honest. She's on the way up, improving all the time, and as I said, I don't think we've seen her bottom yet. It's going to be very exciting. It's a difficult post, but luckily I don't have to drive and only need to train her..."

Duo in the Swedish Championships for amateur drivers – equipment change could have a great effect
Pihlström Stable has additional chances in Saturday afternoon's hunt for gold medals.
The trainer sends out two horses in the Swedish Championships for amateur drivers. Hans Bergh drives 8 Wing Profile (V85-5), while Jill Ivarsson climbs back into the sulky behind 9 Boba Fett (V85-5).
"Yes, we didn't have any luck with the post draw, to put it that way... But that's nothing you can influence, so we're putting our energy into what we can influence instead," says Markus and continues:
"Boba Fett doesn't always give his all, but we have a huge gear in the pullout earplugs. We've tried them in a race once before, but he responded too strongly to them and almost took off down the stretch at Gävle in the spring. Still, I think he's matured now and it could have a really great effect with the pullout earplugs; we'll try them in a workout on Thursday. Naturally, I would have preferred post one or two here, but from here we can still get a good trip and get onto the inside immediately, you could say, and there's open stretch, so we'll take it as it comes."
Wing Profile has made three starts for you – and began with two straight wins?
"Yes, she had two dominant wins first, but last time things went very badly. They had to back off after being hung out three wide, but I actually think the horse did a good job after that. We've had time to prepare for this race, and she should come into it in very good form, so I expect her to deliver her best race for our stable. How far that will take her is harder to assess; we're facing horses from all over the country, and quite simply, we're not familiar enough with the others' performances. You can only assess your own horse, and I'm pretty convinced she'll deliver her best race for our stable," says the trainer and adds:
"She can leave well if you ask her, and we're not going to Åby to back up. We're going to try to leave and find a position somewhere. I don't think she'll make the lead, but backing up would be pointless."
Do you feel that one of your two horses has an advantage over the other?
"I'd say Wing Profile perhaps has the higher floor on the day, but at the same time there could be a very exciting effect with Boba Fett as long as he stays cool enough for us to try it," says Markus Pihlström, who, before we hang up, returns to Unforgettable A.Y. and adds:
"I had some thoughts about trying pullout earplugs on her for the first time in her life, but at the same time I think she tries so hard, and we haven't needed to go all out with her yet. So perhaps she needs to lose a race first before we change anything. I don't feel that we need to do it now, so maybe we can use that gear next year instead."

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