by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The German trotter Brioni, driven by Joakim Lövgren, won the 60th edition of the Elitlopp in a photo finish on Sunday (May 29), where he just got the nose in front at the last step before elimination winner Rapide Lebel, driven by Eric Raffin.

Brioni had all the luck on the day one could think of; he advanced to the final because Define The World was disqualified and he got the outside post eight.

Trond Smedshammer-trained Arch Madness, with Björn Goop, went to post as the favorite and was involved in a duel from the start with Wishing Stone and Jean Michel Bazire, who shortly got the lead.

Arch Madness went by after 500 meters and as second favorite Rapide Lebel had been rough gaited at the start and lost several lengths, it looked as if Arch Madness would have an easy task.

Eric Raffin behind Rapide Lebel made his move from the back of the field with 700 meters to go. Round the last bend it still looked as though Arch Madness was going to win, but suddenly he tired and on the outside the Norwegian trotter, Yarrah Boko driven by Ulf Ohlsson, took over, closely followed by Rapide Lebel.

Rapide Lebel got the better of Yarrah Boko, but now Brioni, who trotted third at the inside during the race, came with a late burst and just at the finish line he got his nose in front. The win time was 1:53.2f.

Third was the Swedish trotter Rakas, driven by Per Lennartsson, who never found racing room down the stretch, followed by Yarrah Boko and the Italian trotter, Libeccio Grif with Marco Smorgon. Arch Madness faded to sixth place while Lisa America, who finished seventh, never came into the race. A tired Wishing Stone finished eighth and last.

Brioni, who last year finished third in the Elitlopp, is owned and bred by the historic Lasbek Farm, which is in the northern part of Germany. Lasbek stands Timberland, who is the sire of Brioni.

This was the fourth victory for a German owner in the Elitlopp; the first came in the inaugural race in 1952.

Brioni earned $475,000 for the win and the 8-year-old trotter has now won more than $1.7 million in his career.

Arch Madness, Rapide Lebel win eliminations

Arch Madness, with Björn Goop, was an easy winner of the second Elitlopp elimination on Sunday in an impressive 1:53.2f.

The first half was trotted in just :55.3 with Arch Madness and Goop controlling the race. Nobody was able to catch Arch Madness, who won by open lengths, followed by Yarrah Boko with Ulf Ohlsson, Rakas with Per Lennartsson, and Lisa America with Torbjörn Jansson, who sat last most of the trip, then finished strongly to finish fourth and thus is ready for the final.

“Arch Madness was very relaxed today and easy to control,” said Goop. “He’s a wonderful trotter to drive.”

Wishing Stone, driven by Jean Michel Bazire, advanced to the final in the Elitlopp by finishing second in the first elimination.

Wishing Stone finished strongly down the stretch, but was not able to catch the favorite Rapide Lebel, driven by Eric Raffin, who won by two lengths in 1:53.1. Third was the Italian trotter Libeccio Grif, with Marco Smorgn.

Top Canadian trotter Define The World, with Paul MacDonell in the sulky, was fourth past the post. However, the judges found that MacDonell had interfered with Year In Review down the stretch, causing him to go offstride, and thus Define The World was disqualified and placed last. The German trotter Brioni, with Joakim Lovgren, got the last ticket for the final.

MacDonell was fined $5,000 and stood down six days starting June 12.

In the undercard Trond Smedshammer got some consolation for Arch Madness as Blacktuxwhitesocks, driven by Johnny Takter, finished second — just beaten by a nose — in a race for 4-year-old trotters.