Four-year-old Pure Athena, trained by Fredrik Wallin and driven by Carl Johan Jepson, scored a convincing victory in Sweden’s Stochampionat, earning a purse for the winner of $180,000.
The Stochampionat, contested at Axevalla over a distance of 1-5/8 miles, is considered the premier race for 4-year-old mares.
Pure Athena, sired by Bar Hopping out of a mare by Ready Cash, was the heavy favorite to win. Earlier this year, she captured another of Sweden’s biggest races for 4-year-old mares, The Queen’s Prize at Åby.
Pure Athena won in a mile rate of 1:57.2f by two lengths, followed by Dats Bella (sired by Power) with Claes Sjöström in the bike and Peggy Boko (sired by Robert Bi) with Robin Bakker.
Pure Athena was bred and is owned by Marko Kreivi.
In Finland, the famous St. Michel race at Mikkeli was won by Sweden’s Kuiper (sired by Face Time Bourbon), driven by his trainer, Daniel Wäjersten.
Kuiper raced at the back of the field for much of the race, then delivered a powerful finish to catch Italy’s Diva Ek (sired by Trixton) with Alessandro Gocciadoro. Diva Ek had spent considerable energy in the early battle for the lead with Don Fanucci Zet and Örjan Kihlström.
Kuiper won in 1:53.4f on a sloppy track. The winner’s purse was $80,000.
For Daniel Wäjersten, one of Sweden’s leading trainers and drivers, Kuiper’s victory was the icing on the cake after three outstanding days in which he won every race he entered.
Friday: Three starts and three wins at Axevalla.
Saturday: Two starts and two wins at Axevalla.
Sunday: Two starts and two wins at Mikkeli.