Nordic Catcher S, the 2025 Hambletonian winner whose 1:50 mile time is the fastest in the 100-year history of the race, will not race for the rest of this year after an injury was discovered that will sideline the trotting colt for a number of months.
According to Sarah Svanstedt, assistant trainer and wife of trainer Ake Svanstedt, a suspensory tear incurred by Nordic Catcher S has forced the son of Six Pack to the sidelines. Svanstedt told Trot Insider last week that the connections were debating entering the horse in either the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial this weekend at Pocono Downs, or next week's New Jersey Classic elims at The Meadowlands. With the horse's name not listed in the Beal, a circle back on that decision revealed some unfortunate news.
"He is not going to come back this year," said Svanstedt, noting that the injury would keep Nordic Catcher S out of action until at least October. "We decided to let him be. The good part is that we caught it when it's not [severely damaged]...That's why we decided to try to bring him back for next year. When you get older and stronger, that's a good thing, too, they grow into their bones and ligaments and muscles and everything. Hopefully it will turn out good for next year."
Owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc. of Wrightstown, N.J. and Little E LLC of New York, N.Y., Nordic Catcher S (Six Pack - That Woman Hanover) sports a summary of 5-4-1 from 10 career starts with earnings in excess of $1.1 million. The two-year-old full brother to Nordic Catcher S, Nordic Dancer S broke his maiden for Team Svanstedt on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at Pocono, with Tyler Buter guiding the rookie to a 1:57 score in an overnight event.
The first half of the August resembled a roller coaster for the connections of Nordic Catcher S, whose part owner — Meadowlands President & CEO, Jeff Gural — caught flack for a comment made after the Hambletonian win regarding the racing surface at the Big M. Gural told Gabe Prewitt that he gave "Ake and Sarah all the credit" for the win "and the track man for watering the track the way Sarah likes it."
Svanstedt called the post-race chatter the "craziest thing" she's ever been a part of, noting "if I have to stand up for water on the track for those horses, let it be."
(Standardbred Canada)