by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The Breeders Crown races, which began in the United States in 1984, have been adopted in several countries in Europe. This weekend Breeders Crown races was conducted in Germany and Sweden.

In Germany a meeting over three days, beginning Friday (Nov. 5), was organized at the three-quarter-mile track in Gelsenkirchen. The distance in all races in the series was 1-1/4 miles.

On Friday evening it was the 4-year-old trotters who were in action. The purse in each division was $55,000. Between the mares Parisienne Blue, driven by Heinz Wewering, went to post as the favorite and she fulfilled the expectations to win in 2:00.3. Parisienne Blue is sired by Super Arnie and out of the Danish mare Gingelle — she by Lindy’s Crown. The Open Trot was won by Heros, driven by Conrad Lugauer, in 2:00.3. Heros is sired by the top French sire Ganymede.

On Saturday the spotlight was on the 3-year-olds and the total purse in both races was $37,500. The filly division was won by Finca, driven by Michael Schmied. Finca is sired by S J’s Photo, who now stands at stud in Italy. Schmied was also behind the winner of the male trot, Baron W, another offspring to Super Arnie, who stands in Sweden.

The top international trotter Nu Pagadi, who is trained in Sweden by Stig H. Johansson, went to post as the heavy favorite on Sunday afternoon in the Breeders Crown event for 5-7-year-old trotters. Erik Adielsson was in the sulky behind the chestnut trotter and he eased him victory in 1:58.1. Nu Pagadi, who was at 1-5 in the tote, is sired by the world’s most expensive trotting stallion, Love You. The mare division was won by Noxean Com, driven by Andor Schute, in 2:00.2. Noxean Com is sired by the German stallion Lets Go, who stands in Italy.

The Breeders Crown event for 2-year-old fillies was won by the outsider Lobell Countess, driven by Peter Strooper. Lobell Countess is owned and trained in The Netherlands and was a very easy winner. She is sired by the German sire, Abano As. The Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male trotters was won by Impact Aas, driven by Roland Hülskath. Impact As is sired by the German stallion Pablo As and is out of the Balanced Image mare Image Of Beauty, who is also the dam of Italian Derby winner Avril.

The Swedish Breeders Crown races for 3- and 4-year-olds were raced Saturday afternoon at the track in Eskilstuna. In each division the purse for the winner was $75,000 and the distance in all races was 1-5/16th miles.

Only one favorite was able to make it to the winner’s circle in the four Breeders Crown races. It was the 3-year-old filly Aisle Stand, driven by Per Lennartsson, who managed to win by a nose in 1:59.3f. Aisle Stand is trained by Stefan “Tarzan” Melander, who is her owner and breeder. Aisle Stand is sired by Melander’s Hambletonian winner Scarlet Knight and this was her fifth win from seven starts.

In the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old colts, Raja Mirchi, driven by Lutfi Kolgjini, was the 4/5 favorite, but after a tough trip Raja Mirchi tired and finished fifth. Instead the second favorite, One Too Many, driven by Ôrjan Kihlström, won in a close finish followed by Orfeus Brodde driven by Erik Adielsson. Both were timed in 1:58.4f. One Too Many is owned by the world’s biggest harness stable, Travkompaniet, with more than 4,000 stockholders, and is trained by Stefan Hultman. One Too Many is sired by Viking Kronos and was bred by Hambletonian Society director Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg.

Raja Mirchi was not the only heavy favorite to fail. Viola Silas, driven by Fredrik Persson, went into the Breeders Crown for 4-year-old mares with just one loss from 21 races, but as she had to trot outside the leader most of the trip she tired down the stretch and finished third. The leader was Stepping Face, driven by Johan Untersteiner, and she won comfortably in 1:59.2f followed by Pebbly, driven by Björn Goop. Stepping Space is sired by Fast Photo and this was her eighth win from 24 starts.

Sebastian K, driven by Lutfi Kolgjini, was the even money favorite in the Breeders Crown open for 4-year-olds and was in command from the start. Down the stretch Sebastian K tired and and a fast finishing Prince Tagg, driven by Ralf Karlstedt, won by five lengths in 1:58.4f. Prince Tagg was a 32-1 shot! With the winner’s purse of $75,000, Prince Tagg more than doubled his lifetime earnings. He is sired by the Swedish sire Prince R.S., who died in 2007.

On the undercard Iceland — the winner of the Elitlopp — was a very impressive winner for Stefan “Tarzan” Melander. Iceland will race again next Saturday, where he will meet Maharajah. Both trotters will be aimed for the French winter meeting and especially the Prix d’Amerique.