One of the top trainers in Europe feels that his world record holding mare should be better in North America than she's been at home, where she won over $1.6 million and knocked heads with the world's best trotters
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Trainer Fabrice Souloy has campaigned some of France's most talented horses and won most of Europe's major stakes events. Now Souloy will take his second stab at the Maple Leaf Trot with Premiere Steed, the world's fastest mare on a five-eighths mile track by virtue of her 1:52 mile in the 2009 St. Michel at Mikkeli, Finland.
Premiere Steed will make her North American harness racing debut in the prep for the 2011 Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack. Sylvain Filion picks up the catch-drive on the eight-year-old daughter of former U.S stallion Workaholic, who boasts the third highest bankroll in the field with more than $1.6 million in the bank. Despite not winning a race since 2009, Premiere Steed banked $365,000 in 2010 and Souloy feels that racing in North America will benefit his pupil.
"She's had some bleeding issues and we can race her here on Lasix," Souloy told Trot Insider. "That should help her."
Souloy feels confident in his mare facing North America's top trotters both here and in the 2011 Nat Ray next month at the Meadowlands, stating she is fast and versatile. Premiere Steed arrived in Canada on Thursday night, while Souloy arrives early Friday evening.
In 2008, Souloy (pictured at right) raced Improve As in the Maple Leaf Trot. Improve As finished third in his elim and seventh in the final, won by Arch Madness. Premiere Steed is listed at 12-1 in the morning line for the $50,000 Maple Leaf Trot Prep, carded as Race 3 on Saturday night.
To view the entries for Saturday's card of harness racing at Mohawk Racetrack, click here.
For a free, printable program of Mohawk’s Saturday's card, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.