Despite the worldwide economic meltdown, don’t be surprised if you hear some indecipherable discussions at Harrisburg next week. The Europeans are coming!
Of course, it’s that way every year, but don’t expect that the financial crisis to keep them on the other side of the ocean.
It will be very much a Nordic invasion. I suspect we’ll see very few Italians because of the recent turmoil in trotting in that country. Trotting in Germany is not that strong and the French really can’t use American blood.
European buyers have laser-like focus on the horses that interest them. The sale catalog is much smaller for them than it is for North American buyers because they toss out the pacers. (That is, except for buyers from the United Kingdom, and I think that is be a growing part of the overseas market.)
Some Nordic buyers will comb through the yearling catalog for trotting pedigrees that appeal to them. They don’t always fall for the flavour of the month in North America. For example, SJ’s Photo is far more popular in Europe than in North America and you can be assured that Europeans will look closely at his final crop of US-sired yearlings and also at any mares by SJ’s Photo.
It will be interesting, too, to see if they go after yearlings by Revenue S, whose first crop in North America raced this year. He had an earlier crop in Sweden and he’s got a good son in Reven D’Amour, a winner of more than 1 million Swedish crowns (about $155,000) He is only a three--year-old, a mere baby in Swedish trotting. Revenue hasn’t proven that popular in North America, but Europeans are willing to wait longer to see what kind of sire Revenue becomes.
Europeans buyers will assuredly hit the broodmare market hard, too, plucking off some of the choicest lots. They’re not afraid to jump in with both feet in this segment of the market.
I’ve found that they tend to by wary when purchasing a horse off the track. It stems from their concern about the excessive use of drugs in North America. Often I’ve had questions about the reputation of a trainer who raced a certain colt or filly. Some will ask the question bluntly: “Is he a dope trainer?”
Many medications widely used in North America are strictly forbidden in European racing. Lasix, of course, is one, and steroids have been outlawed for many years. So when the Europeans are buying a racehorse in the U.S., they want to make sure the horse doesn’t have to endure a detox program when it arrives in Europe.
Still, they love trotting in North America and love visiting our shores. They love to dip into choice North American pedigrees for their own broodmare bands. So you can be sure of seeing and hearing lots of Europeans at the sale.
Disappointment in Sweden
Racing is a game that will keep you humble. Just when you think you’re on top of the world, the weight of the world falls on you.
That’s what happened to Swedish trainer Stefan Hultman recently when he had to scratch his colt Maharajah and his filly Lie Detector from the Breeders Crown events in Sweden this weekend. Both were heavy favorites to win the 700,000 crowns (about $109,000) first-place check at the track in Eskilstuna.
Maharajah was beaten in his Breeders Crown elimination, his first loss since May. His driver said he wasn’t the same horse he’d been and now it seems he’s been diagnosed with a throat infection. Maharajah has been talked about in hushed tones, the same awe heard in comments about Somebeachsomewhere. No sensible trainer races a horse with this much potential when he’s not right and Maharajah was scratched.
The top filly Lie Detector seems to have also fallen victim to a similar ailment.
Don’t worry - you’ll likely hear the names Maharajah and Lie Detector again next year.
Dean Hoffman, one of North America's most prolific harness racing journalists and member of the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame, offers SC website readers his weekly look at international standardbred racing through his eyes.