V75® Romme (multijackpot): San Moteur in 80 percent form

He was the third choice at post time, bet down to the odds of 5.70.

San Moteur started in Prix d'Amerique as the biggest Swedish hope in many years. 

But he fell flat. 

A stressed out Swedish superstar made a break, already at the start of the race. 

This Sunday, he is back on the racetrack, in Rommeheatet, the second qualifying leg for the Paralympic Trot. 

"Everything has gone according to plan since he came home from France. He took care of his breeding duties for the first three or four weeks before he returned home to the farm. After that, we have trained him as usual. He feels nice and loose, as he always does, and his heart rate is good," says Håkan Arvidsson, who seems to have gotten over the miscue in Paris and, of course, has analyzed what went wrong. 

"The preparations leading up to post time were a bit unfortunate, when he had to enter the track with a blanket on, just to stay out there for ten minutes before the entire post parade was completed. There were fireworks and lots of noise, which he didn't like. We also had a pull-off earhood on him for the first time, which lets through a bit more sound than his regular one with the rubber ears inside it. He also got bumped into in the recalled start, which made him even more stressed out. Everything just went wrong."

"Yes, we will. Not this Sunday, though. He will race with his regular set earhood this time. But if we make it to the final, we might try it there. I tried it at home before the Prix d'Amerique with very good result, so we hope we get to use that extra gear this year." 

"Nah, that's pretty much it. He will not race barefoot all around again; that didn't turn out well for him. He will go with aluminums upfront and barefoot behind; that's his optimal balance. But I don't know if he will race like that already on Sunday."

"Correct. He will warm up with four aluminum shoes, then Björn (Goop) will decide if he wants to take the hind shoes off. I would say it's a 50/50. But my horse has raced well many times with shoes on, so he can win like that too."

Winning his first start of the season is something that San Moteur has made a habit. 

This is not his first start of the year, though, since he raced in Prix d'Amerique in January, but the soon-to-be 14-time millionaire (SEK) has won every seasonal debut since he started his racing career in 2020. 

That has usually been in easier races than this one, though. 

Due to his injury, he made his seasonal debut in June last year and rounded the field at Färjestad after 1:10.1 the last 1,900 meters, following an early break of stride. Also in 2023, his seasonal debut was in a cheaper race at his home track, Färjestad, where he made an early move to the lead as the giant favorite. 

In 2022, San Moteur started his season at Romme, where he made it to the lead in a five-horse field. 

His effort as a 4-year-old, the year before that, is the seasonal debut where he got his toughest test. He then closed to victory in Prix Readly Express, despite making a break at the start. With that effort, he made it clear that he is an extraordinary horse. 

"That was an incredible effort, but I think he was fantastic last year, too. He lost 50 meters on an early break and was still able to win easily."

"Maybe, he gets a bit sharper and more geared up hen he hasn't raced in a while."

"I don't know for sure. We never talked about it after the race. But I think it was because Björn pushed him to find out how fast he could leave." 

"Could be. There are only nine horses in the race, so we can't end up that far back. We also know how incredibly fast he can trot the last 700 meters and his ability to go around the field."

"Didn't find a better choice to single"

That was exactly what San Moteur did in his most recent start on Swedish soil. 

In his dress rehearsal before the Prix d'Amerique, he rounded the field from fourth over to win by 50 meters.

The positioning system speed rating showed that San Moteur trotted at 1:05.5 speed when he swept the field down the backside with shoes on in mid-December. 

"He's spectacular that way, and he has incredible speed. He still has the fastest closing time ever at Vincennes."

"That day at Åby, he was in absolute top form, and we think his form was just as good in Prix d'Amerique. Unfortunately, he never got to show it."

"Not that good, of course. If it was at 100 percent at Åby, it's probably at 80 percent now. Even if he always races well after a layoff, he should be a little bit rusty. He feels just as good as always, and the only difference in training is that I have not let him trot off on the straight track the way I usually do. But that's by design since he hasn't had that long of a layoff this time. All in all, he's just as well prepared as usual."

"Yes. I actually wanted to double with Staro Mack Crowe, but I couldn't find a better choice to single...So, I left him alone there. Plus, he usually wins when he's been off for a while."

San Moteur only made seven starts last year and has never made more than nine starts in a year. 

"No, not really. Last year was a bit of a gap year for him. First, due to his cannon bone injury, and when he wasn't able to train, it added some stress, which made us get off on the wrong foot. Then, it was bad luck that he came up sick in the Åby World Grand Prix. The plan is to race him over the summer in the biggest races."

"Of course, we have thought about that, and we are not closing any doors. But we have decided to take one start at a time. Now, we focus on Sunday, and after that, hopefully, the final of the Paralympic Trot. What happens after that, we'll deal with then. The way my horse feels, nothing suggests that he would be any worse this year than in previous years, so I really look forward to seeing him on the racetrack again."

Here are Håkan Arvidsson's comments about the Goop stable's other V75 starters:

"5 Global Everglow (V75-1) looked good in training before his first start for us, but it was a surprise to us that he would be that good. He closed very well, even if he was helped by the tough pace in the first kilometer. All is well in training after that start, and he should be at least as good again on Sunday. He seems like a smart horse, and Björn (Goop) is very good in volt start, so I don't think post five will be any problem. Of course, it's a tougher race this time, but I think he will be in the photo."

"11 Chimi (V75-5) took a bad step and made a break down the stretch, in his seasonal debut. That was a bummer, but there was nothing wrong with the horse. He can race barefoot now, and he's a very capable horse, who unfortunately draws poorly every time. He trains well, but might need a start or two before he is back in the same form as when he piled up wins last summer. If the pace is high, I don't think he is chanceless."

"1 Great Knowledge (V75-7) was good at Solvalla and won easily after she shook loose. She is improving and can leave fast, so I'm no stranger to the thought that she can get the lead from the inside post. She faces horses that are a bit tougher now, and it's hard to say how she measures up against them, but I think that Björn would like to race her in the lead if he gets there, then we will see how good she is. Except for Chimi racing barefoot, I don't think there are any other changes planned for any of the horses."