V75 (Christmas Day): Several chances as the year comes to an end
Sandra Eriksson goes toward her best year as a trainer, so far.
But, is she satisfied?
She is not.
"The more you have, the more you want," says the Boden licensed trainer with a laugh when talking about V75 at Umåker where she starts six horses.
Sandra Eriksson wins more than every fifth start and so far in 2024 she has 38 wins and SEK 3.1 million in earnings. That is an all-time high for the Eriksson stable, both in wins and earnings.
"The year has been OK, but I think we have had some bad luck since we didn't make it to any of the big stake finals. On the other hand, all horses have been performing well and I can't be dissatisfied, we just have to keep working hard so we have an even better 2025," says Sandra Eriksson.
Even if she never made it to the big races, there were several memorable moments.
"One was when Priscilla Håleryd won a leg of Diamantstoet, just because she has improved so much since she came to us. We also won a leg of the Breeders Crown series with Conrads Pelle and that was very pleasing. Trainer Markus Svedberg sent us the horse for the summer, since he thought he'd be better off up here due to his allergies and it felt great to be able to live up to the expectations".
Chasing three in a row
The record-breaking year is not over yet, there is still time for more memorable wins. On Christmas Day, there are some good chances for that. Sandra will make the trip from Boden to Umeå to race six horses in V75. Her first starter is 9 Kingdom Come (V75-1), who finished third in two starts and made a break in the third, for his new trainer.
"He got sick after his first start for us and we had to start over with him. Last time out, I thought he had made some big progress, and had he not stepped into an opponents race bike in the last turn, he would have been in the photo. He feels good in training after that start, and I think he's ready for a good effort".
"I think the winter track will work out well for him. He has never raced on it but he trains well with the long corks. He will race with a pull-down bridle, he did in his last start already, but it was never pulled".
The stable mate 4 King of Djazz (V75-3) has no problems with a winter track. He has only made one start on that type of surface, but he won in splendid isolatian that time.
It was at this very race day at Umåker last year. He comes into this race with two straight wins.
"I have been very pleased with him and he feels good in training. Everything looks great! The trip might be a deciding factor in the race but when he is in such good form, he usually races very well".
"Improved with that start"
The fourth V75 leg is a high-class coldblood race where Sandra Eriksson and 11 Gorm start with a 60-meter handicap. He is also in good form, which he showed in his last start, when he held on to win by a nose from the lead in Uleåborg.
"It was nice to see him win there. I think he needed that self confidence boost and it was a great effort in the snowstorm, with ice corks on a rock-hard track. These are different conditions and he has to race from behind now. But he's a nice horse and I think he will be improved with that last start. The most important thing is that he races well. I don't expect him to win again. He might race with a pull-down bridle. I don't know if he ever raced with it. I raced him with a can't-see-back bridle once, but he got too aggressive".
Next starter from the Eriksson stable is 4 Diamond Kronos (V75-5). His most recent start was his first for Sandra Eriksson and he showed that he can handle the winter track by finishing third.
"It was his first start on an ice track and he had barely trained on it, so it was new for both him and me. I think he raced well. He got tired at the end but he crossed the finish line at 1:09-speed so that was good. I can't ask more of him right now, besides for him to race well and if he does, he should have a chance to win here".
Dangerous if she trots in the start
13 Nightingale (V75-6) made her first start of the season on the ice track, last time out and took her first win of the year. Will she win another one before the year is over?
"She could, if she just gets away trotting in the start. She hasn't raced mush with volt start and she's a bit tricky when you turn her. She could just as well stop and walk backwards. So my focus is to get her away trotting and if she does, then I know she is tough the last kilometer. She will race with pullouts for the first time for us".
7 B.Sacamano (V75-7) shipped with Gorm to Uleåborg in his last start, but as opposed to his stablemate, he lost by a nose.
"He raced great after being off for a month. He is probably better when he races more often and he seems good going into this start. All is well at home and I think he will race well".