V86®: Rexhammar has waited on the quick-footed Can Can
A real looker who left the field by six lengths in her most recent start at Solvalla.
The driver said that Can Can Broline could have trotted under 1:11 that night, parked out by the leader.
"She wasn't even tired after the race! But considering the post position this time, and her inconsistent racing history, I am happy with a good check this time," says trainer Hanna Rexhammar, about the Wednesday start in V86 at Solvalla.
She started working with trotters back home in Finland already at the age of ten, and she has also worked with thoroughbreds in the United States. After that, Hanna worked by the office desk for many years.
After 30 years as a certified accountant and her own accounting company together with her husband Peter, she decided to leave the office desk two years ago.
She would go back to the horses again.
"I quit working with horses when I was 19, but I always wanted to go back to doing that".
Her husband takes care of the family business, and Hanna has really made a name for herself as an amateur trainer. All her three horses are racing and winning.
As this interview is being made, the 5-year-old gelding Best Yankee Face has just won, for the third time in 14 career starts, at Romme for driver Emilia Leo.
"He hasn't raced that much and I am ecstatic that my little problem child also can win races," she says.
23 starts this year have brought nine wins and SEK 700,000 in earnings for the small stable at the farm Armanbo, in Sala, that the Rexhammars bought 20 years ago.
That is where she is living her dream while her husband Peter commutes to the apartment in Stockholm to work the books.
"My big dream was always to one day train my own horses and now I am there! I have worked hard and sat in a chair for 30 years and that's not good for you. A life with horses...I am so grateful," says Hanna, who at age ten started helping out as a caretaker for one of Finland's best amateur trainers in Lahtis, and when she worked in the United States she took care of Keystone Patton who made it to the 1986 Elitlopp final with Jorma Kontio driving.
Why are things going so well?
Jorma Kontio is still a part of her life as he has driven the 4-year-old Money Matters in all his starts. Money Matters also races on Wednesday, on the V86 undercard. In nine starts, the gelding has won six times and finished second twice.
"I have thought a lot about why things are going so well. When I think about, I think it's because us amateur trainers have the advantage of being able to spend so much time on our horses. They are just like people, they want to be seen and pampered," says Hanna, and adds:
"I am not saying that the horses don't get pampered in the professional stables. But the three horses on our farm live like super stars!"
A summer full of problems for Can Can
The big star of the stable and Hanna's favorite is 8 Can Can Broline (V86-8). But the 4-year-old mare has had problems, both mentally and physically, with equine asthma.
This past summer she also struggled with being in heat, as well as tying-up.
Hanna calls her mare a super star. Before the Stochampionatet eliminations in July, the owner and trainer believed she would have a good chance to reach the final, but it just was not her best day.
It was not until two weeks ago, in a V86 race for mares at Solvalla, that Can Can Broline was fully healthy and got to show how good she is.
Emilia Leo made a move to sit outside the leader, gave the mare the go signal in the last turn, and she responded by leaving the field to win easily.
Leo said after the race that she never drove 1:11 that easily with any horse.
"It rained earlier that day and the air was great at Solvalla that night. She didn't even blow any, when she came off the track and her breathing problems were gone. Can Can has a big gait, especially behind, and I think it helped that we raced her in an American sulky for the first time that night. Now she could stride out. She will race in the same sulky on Wednesday and barefoot all around again".
Wants to lay low
Hanna Rexhammar did not expect a lot out of her mare in her most recent start, because of all the problems in the past. Going into the Wednesday start, V86-6, she is also very cautious regarding her chances.
"I want to lay low regarding the winning chances, but we have to believe in a good check. She's awesome when she's good. She's a bit rowdy in the start and just wants to go, but she has gotten much better. When she focuses, she's good, but she's a bit out there and probably has ADHD. When she's on her game, she is safe and an incredible trotter, both Emilia and I think so. We have been careful with her to let her find herself," she says.
The fact that the mare now has to face the boys for the first time as a 4-year-old is a minor worry for the trainer.
"I have tried to race her only in the mare races since there are many of them. But sometimes I don't think the difference is that big in the lower classes. In an amateur race just before last Christmas at Solvalla, Andreas Peterson just rounded the entire field after she broke in the start"
What does post position eight behind the gate mean for her in a sprint race?
"Quite a bit, since Emilia has to take it easy with her and it could be too many lengths to make up at the end. But she felt great last time I trained her, knock on wood. I would also like to keep her in form until the Breeders Crown eliminations in mid-October- That's where we are aiming with both horses and maintaining their form in these races in the Solvallaserien works out well," says Hanna Rexhammar.