by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Europe’s best trotter, 9-year-old Commander Crowe, returned to action Sunday afternoon (Oct. 14) after a one month spell for a prep race before heading for the Breeders Crown in Canada later this month.

Commander Crowe, with Christophe Martens, went to post as the favorite in the Grand Prix du Sud Ouest at the right handed track in Agen La Passage in the French province. The race was over appoximately 1-1/2 miles and the purse for the winner was $115,000.

Commander Crowe got a tough trip, racing outside without cover on a headstrong Roi de Lupin, driven by Athony Barrier. Around the last corner it was obvious that Commander Crowe had problems.

Down the stretch Roi de Lupin drifted a little bit to the outside, thus making racing room for Save The Quick, driven by Eric Raffin, who had been in the pocket the whole trip. Roi de Lupin managed to held off the late brush from Save The Quick to win in 1:57.1 (mile rate). Commander Crowe finished third.

A final decision on whether to send Commander Crowe to the Breeders Crown will be made within the next couple of days.

In Hamburg, Germany, the Grosser Preis von Deutschland over 1-1/2 miles with a total purse of $260,000 was raced at the Bahrenfeld track and had the top Finnish trotter Brad de Veluwe (by Andover Hall), driven by his trainer Toumas Korvenoja, as the heavy favorite.

But every race has to be contested before there is a winner and after Brad de Veluwe had been in command most of the trip the Swedish trotter On Track Piraten, driven by Jos Verbeeck, went past Brad de Veluwe to win by two lengths in 1:58f (mile rate).

On Track Piraten was a 10-1 shot and this was his first victory of the year.