V86®: Svanstedt’s speedster ready for a tougher trip – "You have to really like her chances"
She was locked in with plenty of energy left two starts ago in V85 and last time she finished with a blazing late burst to be third in the elimination for the Drottning Silvias Pokal.
Now it is Caribbean Lemon’s turn to win and that victory could very well come on Wednesday in V86 at Solvalla.
"She is quick from the start and has a good post over the short distance. On top of that she drops a bit in class and now it is time for a tougher trip," says trainer Anders Svanstedt.
Bergsåker and Solvalla share Wednesday’s V86® Xpress card and at the Stockholm track Caribbean Lemon is the favorite in the final division. The four-year-old mare gained toughness last year by competing against the top horses of her crop in races such as the short E3 final and the elimination for the Swedish Trotting Oaks. This year it looks like the horse has taken several more steps forward in her development and she has delivered strong performances every time recently. Especially last time when she finished with a blazing late burst in the elimination for the Drottning Silvias Pokal in a furious stretch drive.
"5 Caribbean Lemon (V86-8) has been really good and last time she trotted extremely fast down the stretch. She closed in 1:07 over the final 200 meters and was gaining on the top two horses at the wire. In the start before that she never got the chance at Jägersro and was locked in with a lot of trot left, so she is in top form," says Anders Svanstedt.
"Has extremely good technique – ready for a tougher trip"
The Axevalla trainer also elaborates on how much Caribbean Lemon has improved with a winter of training in her body following last year’s season when she was hardened against tough horses from her crop.
"She had a few too many tough starts as a three-year-old and because of that we have raced her very carefully this year. But now it feels like she may be ready for a tougher trip. She is a mare with extremely good gait who is quick from the start but who probably was not completely mature last year either. But she has become stronger, bigger and mentally better this year. Those were the few things that maybe were not completely perfect last year but she has improved them this year."
"This is a mare that I believe will be good enough for bigger races and compete in the major stake races if everything goes right," says Svanstedt.
"These are good conditions – you have to be optimistic"
On Wednesday, Carl Johan Jepson takes over the drive because Anders Svanstedt is suspended. Jepson won with Caribbean Lemon last year and has good conditions with post four behind the gate over the short distance.
"These are good conditions and she drops a bit in class so that means you have to be optimistic and think highly of her chances. I have not studied the opposition yet since I’m not the one driving, but I know that in her normal class she is very good. There will be no changes," says Anders Svanstedt, who also confirms that he will remain at Bjertorp when Daniel Wäjersten arrives there as a new trainer around the turn of the year.
"I’m staying. There are 168 stalls at Bjertorp and I have my 20 horses in training. I don’t know what will happen with the other trainers."