Guida to start Lisa America in Elitlopp
May 24, 2009,by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager
Columbus, OH — Lisa America, trained by Jerry Riordan and owned by Lou Guida’s Italian stable, Guida Italia, has accepted an invitation to race in the Elitlopp next Sunday (May 31) at the Solvalla Racecourse in Sweden.
In her most recent effort on April 25, Lisa America, a 4-year-old mare by Varenne, trotted to a 1:54.2f (mile rate) world record over the 1-5/16th-mile distance in winning the Gran Premio d’Europa at San Siro, Milan, Italy. She lowered the old world and race record (held by Igor Font) by 1-2/5 seconds.
Lisa America has been a top trotter in her crop and she has lifetime earnings of $600,000. She has raced 22 times and won 12 races. Her best time is the world record of 1:54.2f.
“She was scheduled to race Elitlopp day anyhow in a 4-year-old invitational race,” wrote Lou Guida in an e-mail received earlier today, “but I was surprised when the invitation came in.
“My first reaction was ‘no thank you.’ It’s too tough for a 4-year-old mare and it’s been almost one month since her last race. We have not prepped her for this kind of a tough, two heat race, but they have always been so nice to us and Jerry felt that she is such an exceptional and talented horse that we should give her a chance.
“I have always felt racing is all about putting on a good show for the fans and Jerry and Lisa deserve the chance, even though it will be a very tough race. Hopefully, she will put in a good showing.
“I have had a lot of great horses, as you know, but there is a special pride for us with Lisa because we owned the grandmother (Donnina), bred the mother and then bred Lisa, who, by the way, is named after Jerry’s wife, Lisa.”
Below is the post position draw for the Elitlopp.
1st elimination
Post-Horse (country)-Driver
1-Triton Sund (Sweden)-Orjan Kihlstrom
2-Ghibellino (Italy)-Roberto Andreghetti
3-Enough Talk (USA)-Luc Ouellette
4-Offshore Dream (France)-Pierre Levesque
5-Sahara Dynamite (Sweden)-Bjorn Goop
6-Scarlet’s Aino (Sweden)-H-O Sundberg
7-Russell November (Holland)-H. Langeweg, Jr.
8-Oiseau de Feux (France)-Christopher Martens
2nd elimination
1-Buck I St Pat (USA)-Tim Tetrick
2-Jaded (Sweden)-Orjan Kihlstrom
3-Nimrod Borealis (France)-Matthieu Abrivard
4-Lisa America (Italy)-Andrea Guzzinati
5-Commander Crowe (Sweden)-Peter Ingves
6-Torvald Palema (Sweden)-Åke Svanstedt
7-Igor Font (Germany)-Jean-Michel Bazire
8-Sundon’s Gift (New Zealand)-Chris Lang
- Elitlopp simulcast set for Sunday at The Meadowlands (Thursday, May 28, 2009)
Racing fans can watch and wager at The Meadowlands and through New Jersey Account Wagering as Enough Talk and Buck I St Pat compete in Sweden’s famed Elitlopp Sunday morning, May 31.
- Enough Talk can walk the walk (Thursday, May 28, 2009)
This time, Peter Kleinhans need not worry whether Enough Talk has the class to compete with the world’s best trotters. His only concern is Enough Talk’s current form.