V75® (Sunday): Salmela to Solvalla with Norwegian Sisu
As of late, Lilium Sisu has made a clean sweep in Norway.
On Sunday, the filly takes on the best 3-year-old fillies in Sweden in the Breeders Crown semifinals.
"It's a given goal for us to get her qualified for the final," says trainer Petri Salmela.
V75® from Solvalla — on a Sunday. The reason: Breeders Crown semifinals.
3- and 4-year-old trotters gather at the capital track to battle for the final spots.
A new challenger among the 3-year-old fillies is 6 Lilium Sisu (V75-4).
She is Finnish-owned but was born in Norway. Because of that, she has raced mostly in Norway, in the last few months. And she has been successful. The well-bred daughter of FaceTime Bourbon has won both the Norwegian filly Kriterium and the Oaks.
"She has raced well every time in Norway. Lilium Sisu has been promising all along and I don't think I have trained a horse that has been as race-ready as a 2-year-old as she was last year. We didn't race her in that many tough races, as she wasn't mentally ready, but you could feel how talented she was," says trainer Petri Salmela.
Her effort in the Oaks, in her most recent start, was spectacular considering what happened with one lap to go.
In the second to last turn, Lilium Sisu took a bad step, made a short break, and almost came to a stop. But as soon as Skylight came up beside her, she sped up again and kept her nose first in an exciting battle to the finish line.
"Mika Forss was worried about the track already after the warmup, that turn was very deep and she stepped right into a soft spot. She had trotted fast initially and was a bit unfocused when it happened. She stumbled and made a short break but as soon as the other filly came up next to her, she sped up and it was fine. My filly was far from tired at the finish line and the earhood and the pull-down bridle were both unused," says Petri.
Getting better and better
After her victories in Norway, Lilium Sisu makes her first start in Sweden since finishing sixth in the E3 final at Färjestad in June.
She has improved a lot since then.
"Yes, she has. She raced in a crazy race at Solvalla during the Elitlopp weekend (the Breeders Course final eds note) when she had to go three wide before ending up first up and a normal horse would barely survive that. But she came out of the race alright and after that, she has just kept getting better and better".
So, you think she will measure up well against the Swedish fillies?
"I believe she can go with these fillies too. There are many nice 3-year-olds in the country and as always with these semifinals, the trip will be one of the decisive factors, but it's a given goal for us to get her qualified for the final."
She has also proven to leave pretty fast lately?
"Yes, as I said, she gets more and more mature and the first time we chose to leave with her was in the elimination for the Norwegian filly kriterium and she showed that she could leave well. I think she will get a good trip".
On her way back after a messy season
The Boden licensed trainer also brings the year-older 9 Käraste Sisu (V75-7) to the Breeders Crown semifinals.
Last year, as a 3-year-old, she qualified for the finals of E3 and the Oaks, she won E3 Chansen and finished second to Kinglet Bird in Höstfavoriten. Things have not gone as smoothly this year for Käraste Sisu so the win at Åby, in her last start, was much anticipated.
"She has found her way back to last year's form in these last two months. It has been a messy season for her, she has had lots of small issues that started already at the end of last season and we weren't able to get them resolved during the first half of this year, but she seems to be on the right path now".
She came up with a strong effort in her most recent start.
"Indeed, she did. And the same thing two starts ago, when she finished third after a first up trip in Skellefteå, that was also a strong effort," says the trainer, and adds:
"We wanted to find a race for her before the semifinals and Åby was the only option, so we had to race her there, even if it was just a regular overnight. She had to go out wide the last 800 meters from fourth over and she trotted the last 800 meters at 1:09-speed which is strong".
So, she is back in form now for the Breeders Crown?
"She is and this is her last chance in the stake races so we hope everything goes well. The second tier is what it is, she didn't draw the worst post position though, but you always need luck and anything can happen from back there. But we hope to bring two tickets to the finals back home".