GS75®: Swedish debut for Djuse's star trotter
Over the last two years, he battled with the best of his crop in the United States and made over half a million dollars.
On Monday, he makes his first start in Sweden in the King's Trophy eliminations at Åby.
"He showed a lot of potential in the States, and it will be fun to start racing him here," says the trainer.
For many racing fans, the eliminations for the King's Trophy and the Queen's Trophy are among the highlights of the year. They are the first big stake races for the 4-year-olds, and the eliminations are full of high-class trotters. This year, one of them is Tony Adams (GS75-1). The Swedish-born super talent raced at age two and three for Åke Svanstedt on the other side of the Atlantic. As of last winter, the Solvalla trainer Mattias Djuse takes care of the training duties for the horse, who is now ready to debut on Swedish soil.
"It will be very interesting. He has shown a lot of potential in the States, and it will be fun to start racing him here," says Mattias Djuse.
Last year, Tony Adams won a consolation of the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at Pocono Downs and the final of the New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands. Before his Swedish debut, the horse trained a faster heat at Solvalla.
"That was the first real fast heat we trained him. He did a lot of heavy training in the winter, and I think he needed that heat, but he did it in a very good way. I have just trained him slowly after that heat at Solvalla, and it feels like he took some steps forward there, so I have a feeling that he is ready for a good effort right away in the elimination."
The top two finishers in each elimination, plus the two highest seeded third-place finishers, go through to the final of the King's Trophy at Åby on May 3, where the winner gets SEK 1 million. Since Tony Adams is the top seeded horse of all, he needs to finish in the top three to make it to the final. From post position three behind the gate, and with Magnus A Djuse driving, he will be the favorite to win the King's Trophy.
"He is not trained to be sharp right now. We hope that he has a long season ahead of himself and that he will race in several of the big races. But as good a horse as he is, we still hope that he will have a chance to win the King's Trophy."
First time barefoot
Mattias Djuse has one more starter in the King's trophy eliminations. That is Golden Sunrise (GS75-3), who has finished sixth and seventh in his first two starts this year, and he starts from post position ten in the second tier behind the gate.
"He closed well in his first start of the year, but the fractions were too slow. In his last start, Magnus was a bit more aggressive, and the horse got more tired than he should have. We haven't been able to find out why. It might have been mentally that he didn't want to do too much work early in the race. We work with that theory and will give him a different trip this time. The plan was all along to race him barefoot for the first time here, and it will be interesting. He has shown good speed, so he should be able to make it to the final. We hope for a hot pace upfront and that he doesn't have to do too much work himself and just use his speed down the stretch, which has proven to work best for him," says Mattias Djuse.
Three in the Queen's Trophy eliminations
In the eliminations for the Queen's Trophy, the 4-year-old mares need to finish in the top three to make the final. Mattias Djuse's Global Fragrance (GS75-2) has every chancre to do that from her inside post behind the gate.
"She has two starts in her legs now after the winter training, and she feels good. The post position is perfect and with the right trip, it's not impossible that she can make it to the final."
Mellby Minerva (GS75-5) also has a good spot, starting from post position two behind the gate.
"She's a very nice mare who has started her career very promisingly. Now, she hasn't raced in a while but has felt great at home. It's a tough field, of course, but she's very good too, and we hope for a very good effort. First time barefoot."
Legacy Of Sound (GS75-6) did not have as much luck in the draw and starts from post position eight behind the gate. But her form is good.
"She has improved a lot over the winter and has raced very well. She closed very fast in her last start. But from this post, we have to lay low."