by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Enough Talk and driver Luc Ouellette will have to overcome post position eight in the Finlandia Ajo at Vermo, Helsinki, on Saturday afternoon, May 1.

Enough Talk will have to start from the far outside as the gate only has eight horses in the first tier. Ten trotters will line up in this year’s edition of the Finlandia Ajo — a mile race with a purse for the winner of $145,000.

Enough Talk will face top European trotters like Commander Crowe and Scarlets Aino of Sweden, Premiere Steed and Rapide Lebel of France, Brioni of Germany and the locally-owned, French bred Ladakh Jiel.

Mago d’Amore strikes again in Italy

The 4-year-old Italian trotter Mago d’Amore, driven by Pietro Gubellini, was an easy winner of the Gran Premio d’Europa over the 1-5/16th mile distance at San Siro, Milan, on Sunday afternoon, April 25.

Mago d’Amore won by two lengths in 1:55.3f (mile rate), followed by Mondiale OK driven by Giampaolo Minnucci and stablemate Merckx OK driven by Ôrjan Kihlström. The purse for the winner was $165,000.

The win time is the second fastest in the race as the Lou Guida-owned Lisa America won last year in a world record time of 1:54.2f.

This was victory number nine from 13 races for Mago d’Amore and he now has earnings of $440,000. Mago d’Amore is sired by Lemon Dra, who has been a champion sire in Italy for many years. Mondiale OK, who finished second in Sunday’s race, is also sired by Lemon Dra.

Three years ago Lemon Dra was kidnapped and he is still missing.

The filly division, raced over the mile distance, was won by Mania, driven by Jorma Kontio, in 1:56.4f. She is also sired by Lemon Dra! Mania got $55,000 for the win.

Drama at Enghien

Being rough gaited in trotting races in France is costly.

Belgium-owned Perlando, driven by Jos. Verbeeck, was first past the post in the Prix de l’Atlantique at Enghien in Paris, but was disqualified and placed last.

The purse for the winner was $120,000.

Instead Quaker Jet, driven by Jean Etienne Dubois, returned to the winner’s circle. Quaker Jet led for most of the trip, but Perlando just managed to get the better of him at the finish line.

This was the first big stakes win for Quaker Jet, who earlier this year finished second in the Prix d’Amerique.