by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Nakitast, an Italian 3-year-old filly, took her fifth victory in a row on Monday afternoon (April 5) at the half-mile track in Bologne in the prestigious Gran Premio Italia.

Driven by her trainer, Italian champion driver Enrico Bellei, Nakitast again showed that she is in a class of her own and won by open lengths in 1:58.3h over another Bellei-trained trotter, Napoleon Bar.

The purse for the winner was $37,000 and Nakitast now has earnings of $57,000. Some weeks ago Nakitast became the fastest 3-year-old so far in Europe, winning at San Siro, Milan in 1:57.1f. Nakitast, who is sired by Toss Out, is the fastest in her crop, but another filly, Nieves VL, is by far the richest.

Nieves VL won the Gran Premio Italia Filly with a purse of $18,500 for the winner, bringing her lifetime earnings to $190,000. She has won five out of seven races. Nieves VL is sired by the French sire Ganymede. She is trained by Swedish-born Björn Lindblom and was driven by Francesco Facci.

In Sweden, Raja Mirchi, who was voted Sweden’s 2-year old Horse of the Year, won his seasonal debut at Halmstad with trainer-driver Lutfi Kolgjini in the bike.

Raja Mirchi raced a couple of times last year at the Meadowlands without luck, but back in Sweden he is now six for six. Raja Mirchi is eligible for the Hambletonian and if he continues his winning streak, Kolgjini is keen to send him back to the Big M.

Kolgjini was one of the three drivers who went down in the crash on Sunday at Klosterskogen in Norway, and he decided to return to action Monday, even though he was very sore.

The Danish driver Bo Westergaard returns to racing Tuesday, while Björn Goop probably will race Wednesday.