by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The 6-year-old Finnish mare Target Hoss, driven by Jorma Kontio, won the prestigious stake race Suur-Hollola, raced over two days at the track at Lahti.

The Suur-Hollola is raced with eliminations and a final over the 1-5/16th mile distance. The eliminations are held the day before the final!

Target Hoss won her elimination in 1:57.3f (mile rate) and the final in 1:58.1f (mile rate), picking up a check for $167,500.

Target Hoss has always been on top in her crop. She won the Finnish Trotting Kriterium for 3-year-olds and the Finnish Trotting Derby for 4-year-olds.

She is sired by Muscles Yankee and out of Celebration Ride, she by Express Ride. She has now raced 36 times and has 19 wins and lifetime earnings of $743,350. Her best mark is 1:54.4f.

Elsewehere in Europe, other offspring to North American based stallions made headlines.

In Italy one of the most important tests for 3-year-olds, the Gran Premio Nazionali over the 1-5/16th mile distance at San Siro, Milan, was won by Owen Cr — a colt sired by Cantab Hall — in 1:58.4f (mile rate). The purse for the winner was $235,000.

More success for Cantab Hall came in The Netherlands, where the Sweepstakes for 3-year-old fillies was won by his daughter Bewitched, driven by Hugo Langeweg Sr.

The Sweepstakes for 3-year-old colts was won by Balanced Budget, sired by Credit Winner. He had Michael Schmied in the bike.