V86®: Strong feelings about Nordgubben's race
There are feelings involved in this race.
Björn Karlsson grew up with the horse who has his own race on Solänget's V86 card this Wednesday.
The hometown trainer now has a chance to win the race himself for the very first time.
The 9-year-old Bokli Rapp N.O. is in top form.
"I think I might lose it if I win".
On Wednesday, the summer party is on at Solänget Racetrack in Örnsköldsvik.
The biggest betting form of the day is V86, but the races belong in the top league, such as the gold, silver, and bronze division and several other STL classes.
V86-6 will be extra exciting for the hometown trainer Björn Karlsson. The race is the final in a series for coldbloods, with SEK 220,000 to the winner.
'Nordgubbens Minne' was started to honor one of the racetrack's true heroes of all time.
Nordgubben was born in 1994 and had he still been alive he would be 29 years old.
The 36-year-old Björn Karlsson could win the race on Wednesday. At age 9, Bokli Rapp N.O. is actually better than ever and comes into the race with two straight crushing wins at Skellefteå and Solvalla.
"It sounds stupid to say that he wasn't mature enough as an 8-year-old, but that was actually the case with Bokli Rapp! That's the fun thing with these coldbloods; that they get better with age. He was incredible again at Solvalla. The people in the test barn had to check his heart rate twice after the race. They didn't think it was possible that it was as low as 87 when he came in there after having won in 1:22.3, first over. No, there's a lot inside of him" says the trainer.
Björn Karlsson was born into a trotting family in Örnsköldsvik, where his father Kenneth was a trainer at the town's racetrack. Nordgubben was trained by Kenneth and Björn took care of him during a career that brought SEK 5.4 million.
He won 72 races in the shadow of the mighty Järvsöfaks. Quite a feat by the horse who finished second to the coldblood king many times.
This Wednesday, the hometown trainer takes on parts of the Swedish elite in V86-6, led by the best coldblood mare 8 Stjärnblomster.
"To win this race here at home...there are feelings involved beforehand and if we would win? Well, I think I might lose it if we do" says Björn.
Never been better
For many years. Tangen Haap was the star of the Karlsson stable. After his retirement last year as a 13-year-old, the coldblood lover Björn Karlsson has stocked up his stable with younger horses.
An older warrior who has never been better than he is this year is the four-time millionaire Bokli Rapp N.O. who was bought by Daniel Redén a few years ago. The Solvalla trainer surprisingly bought a coldblood and he did well, winning five races.
In January of last year, the horse was sent to the Björn Karlsson stable. More haste, less speed was the concept and on Christmas Day, the horse got his first win for Karlsson. That was in a V75 race at Umåker.
In 2023, the horse has continuously gotten better and better. The 9-year-old is currently sporting a two-race win streak, and SEK 210.000 has been brought home after wins at Skellefteå and Solvalla.
At Solvalla, Björn Karlsson felt like a winner already in the start and made a move to sit first up, outside of the betting favorite Arn, trained by Frode Hamre. An easy victory.
"I think he released the hand break in V75 at Umåker in May. We were locked in behind Månprinsen A.M. and he really liked that" says Karlsson.
"Flattering when the big guys want to try"
Bokli Rapp N.O. is owned by Brixton Medical AB and Daniel Redén, who have chosen to cooperate with the Solänget trainer with several horses.
"To get the call from the big warmblood owners is flattering, when they want to try the coldbloods too. You know already from the start that they will fall in love with the animals. Coldbloods are different than warmbloods. The warmbloods bring you more money and higher standing. The coldbloods have more charisma, it's actually another dimension!"
Hometrack advantage on Wednesday and a 40-meter handicap together with the big favorite Stjärnblomster, who has made twice the money as your horse has. How will you find a way to win the race?
"For starters, I like starting with the inside post. I won't take it slow in the start to find a way out, I will go full speed ahead and hope to find an opening to get out in the two-path. I have won many races with Tangen Haap thanks to that type of tactic, because the more money we race for with the coldbloods - the more horses are in the two-path. So far, I have never gotten myself locked in. But there's a first time for everything and if that's on Wednesday, so be it. But I am optimistic".
The best coldblood mare in the world Stjärnblomster is keeping an eye on you to your immediate outside in the start.
"In this race over this distance, I have the biggest respect for 10 B.W. Sture. But all the horses starting with a 40-meter handicap are good of course. Bokli Rapp trained slowly last Sunday, and he will get the hybrid sulky again on Wednesday just like at Solvalla, he really likes that sulky. Barefoot all around as usual. We will be battling for the win".
In the other coldblood race on the V86 ticket, Säterbests Minne (V86-3), you have 12 M.P.Atlas. What are his chances?
"He had some stomach issues and had been away from racing so racing barefoot in his return was too soon. He drew a shitty post and is of no interest to the bettors. It will be good to get a start at his home track and try to make some money".
Your 4-year-old Backegutten raced poorly and stopped already down the backside in his last start at Skellefteå during the midsummer weekend. You have said that he is your next star trotter. What is his status?
"He had a terrible throat infection and he is still being medicated with cortisone. We have high hopes for Backegutten, who I think is a carbon copy of Nordgubben. A copy with the exact same attitude. I see a lot of Nordgubben in him" says Björn Karlsson.