V75®: Spring is here for the barefoot specialist
He has waited for three months to pull the shoes.
But when the time is finally here, Ulf Stenströmer lays low.
"We have never had such a bad winter when it comes to training conditions, therefore I'm very unsure of the form of my horses for Saturday" says Ulf Stenströmer about this week's V75® at Örebro.
Barefoot times are here.
In Swedish trot racing, spring comes on March 1 in the entire country.
That means that the horses after a three-month-long barefoot ban, once again are allowed to race shoeless.
That rule was put into use on December 1, 2015, and Ulf Stenströmer is strongly against it.
"I am without a doubt against the barefoot ban since I believe I am competent enough to decide when my horses can race barefoot. I also think it's strange that the same rule applies to the entire country. It's a given that you have to race with shoes longer in Boden for instance, but that you have to do so at Jägersro and Halmstad is something that is not as given to me" says Stenströmer and continues:
"That there are a few trainers that are not competent enough to know when is a shame for so many. But we have battled over this before so this time around I'm just going to say that I don't like it".
A look at Stenströmer's results since the barefoot ban was put into use, at travfakta.se tells you that he is in the group of trainers that suffer from this rule, but many trainers have actually the opposite results.
If we look at the country's top five trainers from 2022 we can see that Timo Nurmos (26 versus 19 since 2010), Tomas Malmqvist (13 versus 10), and Johan Untersteiner (21 versus 16) all have a higher winning percentage with shoes compared to barefoot all around, while Daniel Redén (21 versus 26) and Björn Goop (18 versus 19) lean the same way as Stenströmer.
Why do you think your horses benefit more than others from racing barefoot?
"First of all, I think it's much more natural for a horse to race without shoes. They clear easier and my experience is also that they stay sounder which means you can race them more frequently".
"That my horses especially benefit from it is because I train on a sand track I think. For horses to be able to race barefoot, they need to be strong. I often notice when I get new horses that have never raced barefoot, that you can train them to be stronger, after two-three months in the sand there is a difference. They are often pacey in the beginning, but after eight to ten starts it's possible to pull their shoes off".
"I also try to be very thorough. If I am uncertain of a horse that has a lot of hoof, I can make a quick start in the warm up to test them, that way I have time to put the shoes back on for the race if needed".
Problems with the sand track
It is no surprise that Stenströmer plans on racing both his V75 starters without shoes and 4 Borups Tornado (V75-1) looks like the most interesting horse. He got his breakthrough a year ago when the barefoot ban was over and he won both a leg and a final on V75 during the month of March.
"Yes, I have waited to race him until he can race barefoot and he feels good in training. But I still think he needs a start or two. The reason is that the weather has held us back and the training conditions haven't been very good the last two months, it has actually been the worst winter we have had here. I have barely been able to use my sand track and have been forced to train on the regular straight track instead. The horses haven't lost out on any training but very few training days had a lot of quality" says Stenströmer who tightened up his horse at Axevalla racetrack instead.
"When we can train as usual in the sand, the horses don't need any faster heats at the track, but now I took him to the track and trained him in 1:16.5/1,600 meters which is really fast for me. I was very pleased with how he felt but despite that, I am unsure of his form".
Does that mean we won't see an aggressive drive this time?
"That's correct. I would like to see him get a trip along the pylons and get some cover. I entered only because I saw it was a short field but there are some really good horses in the race, especially 6 Borups Victory so I want to lay low this time".
One month away from top form
It sounds similar on 2 Hattusa (V75-5) who won during the barefoot ban and comes out after a much shorter layoff.
"She raced really well at the beginning of December and won first up on a hard track, but that start took more out of her than expected. We treated her up after her last start and she feels good too, even if she is a bit away from being in top form. She trained at the track today (Monday) in 1:19/1,600 meters and her heart rate was good, but she is in tough on Saturday, against mares who pretty much belong in the mares elite class. I entered her since I knew we would draw well and I hope for a trip along the pylons for her, too".
Are you making any changes besides the shoes coming off?
"Borups Tornado raced with a blind bridle a couple of times last year, but he got too aggressive so we are going back to the pull-down bridle on him. Other than that, no changes".
"Hattusa has a habit of getting on the left line both in training and when she races and she will have a new driving bit on Saturday. I will also make some minor changes to her bridle. She usually races with an open-eye blind bridle which is closed up on her right side. I will probably add a Murphy blind on the outside this time".
Which of your two horses would surprise you the least if they were to win?
"I would have to say Hattusa".
Your stable is usually best in the springtime, when can we start betting the Stenströmer trained horses again?
"In April. We are a little bit behind this year, as I said, but now the sand track looks good again so in about two, or three weeks we should start seeing the results from that training on the racetracks" says Ulf Stenströmer.