by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Tumble Dust, a 4-year-old trotter sired by Crazed who was conceived in the United States, but born in Denmark, won the prestigious Criterium Continental at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 21).

The Criterium Continental is the richest international race for 4-year-old trotters in France. The total purse was $295,000 and the winner’s share was $135,000.

Raised in Denmark, but owned and trained in Sweden, Tumble Dust has developed into a top trotter. He was an easy winner of the Danish Trotting Derby over the 1-15/16 mile distance in a race record 2:00.1f and has taken a mark of 1:53.2f over the mile at Jägersro.

Bjorn Goop, the leading driver in Sweden, gave Tumble Dust a pocket trip and found racing room going into the stretch. It was a close call between three horses, but Tumble Dust just managed to put his head in front of the French trotter Amiral Sascha, while his stablemate, fast finishing Backfire, finished third.

Tomas Malmqvist, who trains at Jägersro in Southern Sweden, is the trainer of Tumble Dust and Backfire.

Tumble Dust is sired by Crazed and out of Affinity, she by Victory Dream. Affinity was sold in foal to Crazed to agent Ole Bach on behalf of Thomas Lind-Holm, Dust Farm, at the Tattersalls Sale at The Meadowlands in January 2010 for $15,000. In March she foaled a colt, who later was named Tumble Dust.

Affinity is also the dam of Hard Livin 3,1:55f ($539,448) and Photo Maxx 1:53.4s ($615,020). Hard Livin was exported to Sweden, where he has a beaten time of 1:52.3f and his lifetime earnings are now $680,000. Hard Livin has been approved as a stallion in Sweden and his first crop of 14 foals were born this year.

After Tumble Dust, Affinity foaled a filly sired by Chocolatier called Anna Greta. Anna Great is 3-year-old and has taken a mark of 1:56.4f ($40,000).

In 2012 she got a colt sired by Muscle Hill named Atomic Rain, who sold for $100,000, and in 2013 a colt sired by Conway Hall, who sold for $90,000.

This year Affinity has foaled a filly by Muscle Hill and is in foal to him again.