Swedish trotting star Commander Crowe landed on Canadian soil earlier this evening as he gets set to prepare for Saturday’s $591,240 Breeders Crown Trot at Woodbine Racetrack.
The nine-year-old son of Juliano Star-Somack, who was third in last year’s Breeders Crown assignment behind San Pail and Rapide Lebel in last year’s, is listed as the second choice at odds of 5-2 in the morning line in Saturday’s third race.
He was unloaded from his flight pod - which is about half the size of a race stall - around 8:30 p.m. following his flight from France. After passing identification checks and a vet inspection he was given the green light to be transported to Mohawk Racetrack where he’ll be stabled in a CFIA-approved quarantine area.
Trainer Fabrice Souloy, caretaker Karoliina Oinonen and the gelding’s blacksmith also arrived in Toronto on Thursday in preparation for this weekend’s assignment. Driver Christophe Martens is scheduled to arrive in Canada on Friday.
The strapping chestnut, who will jog on Mohawk’s back track tomorrow morning around 11 a.m., has put together a 9-2-1 record from 13 starts this season after going 6-1-2 in 13 starts last season. He’s banked more than $3.7 million to date.