Canadian harness racing fans will be cheering for Logan Park when he takes on the world's top trotters in the 2025 Elitloppet on Sunday, May 25 at Solvalla Racecourse in Stockholm, Sweden.

It won't be a walk in the park as only two other Canadian representatives have ever won the renowned Elitloppet, but Logan Park is perfectly primed for the international affair with three consecutive victories this year competing in the top Preferred class at Woodbine Mohawk Park. 

The two-time O'Brien Award divisional champion and fastest Canadian-sired trotter arrived in Sweden on May 12 and was greeted by a familiar face from the Fellows family stable after his long journey shipping from his Rockwood, Ont. base to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, then flying overnight to Frankfurt, Germany and travelling two days by truck to Tråvad, Sweden. 

"He came off truck looking good," trainer Rob Fellows told Trot Insider from Sweden this week. "We eased him back onto the track and have trained him a little."

Owned by Outofthepark Stable, Reg Higgs and Arpad Szabo, the seven-year-old Archangel-Rite Outa The Park gelding is the first Canadian representative in the Elitloppet since 2022 and one of 16 top trotters from seven different countries invited to this year's edition. The field for the final, with the winner awarded a purse of five million Swedish Krona (approximately $714,000 CAD), will be comprised of the top four finishers from two trials held earlier in the day. 

Logan Park drew post five in the first trial with Doug McNair to join him in Sweden for the Ontario reinsman's Elitloppet driving debut. The first trial includes 2022 Elitloppet champion Etonnant from France as well as Swedish star Francesco Zet, the beaten favourite in last year's record edition for driver Örjan Kihlström, who is a four-time winner of the race.

"The draw, like all draws, was nerve-racking and we have to be happy," said Fellows. "The competition is unknown. We have watched lots of replays and have respect for all the competitors. The unknown is concerning and at the same time exciting. Hopefully, we can enjoy the pageantry of the day and he can race well."

Fellows and his wife Yolanda will be joined in Sweden by son Kyle, who handles training duties for the stable in Canada, along with other family, the owners of Logan Park and friends to represent and promote Canadian racing on the international stage.

"We appreciate all the well wishes we have received and it’s an honour to be here," added Fellows.

Logan Park in Sweden with Rob and Yolanda Fellows.

Canadian racing fans can catch the Elitloppet on HPItv and HPIbet.com. If a free streaming link is available, details will be posted on the Standardbred Canada website on Sunday morning. Standardbred Canada will provide updates on the trials and final in the news section of its website standardbredcanada.ca. 

Post time for Sunday's super Solvalla program is 12:45 p.m. CEST / 6:45 a.m. EDT. The first trial featuring Logan Park is scheduled as the sixth race, with an approximate post time of 9:28 a.m. EDT, followed by the second trial. The final is carded as the 11th race, with an approximate post time of 11:45 a.m. EDT.

The fields for the trials are listed below in post position order.

Trial 1
Post - Horse (Country) - Driver - Trainer
1. Etonnant (France) - Anthony Barrier - Richard Westerink
2. Francesco Zet (Sweden) - Örjan Kihlström - Daniel Redén
3. Go On Boy (France) - Romain Derieux - Romain Derieux 
4. Mellby Jinx (Sweden) - Mats E Djuse - Daniel Wäjersten
5. Logan Park (Canada) - Doug McNair - Robert Fellows
6. A Fair Day (Sweden) - Oscar Ginman - Elisabeth Almheden
7. Charron (Norway) - Magnus Teien Gundersen - Geir Vegard Gundersen
8. Always EK (Italy) - Alessandro Gocciadoro - Alessandro Gocciadoro

Trial 2
Post - Horse (Country) - Driver - Trainer
1. Hohneck (France) - Gabriele Gelormini - Philippe Allaire
2. Hooker Berry (France) - Nicolas Bazire - Franck Leblanc
3. Don Fanucci Zet (Sweden) - Paul Philippe Ploquin - Daniel Redén 
4. Mellby Knekt (Sweden) - Magnus A Djuse - Timo Nurmos
5. Hussard Du Landret (France) - Benoît Robin - Benoît Robin
6. Borups Victory (Sweden) - Daniel Wäjersten - Daniel Wäjersten
7. The Locomotive (Australia) - Brad Hewitt - Brad Hewitt
8. Massimo Hoist (Finland) - Hannu Torvinen - Jukka Hakkarainen

 Click here for an Elitloppet program.

(Standardbred Canada)