by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Fire To The Rain, a USA-bred 3-year-old colt sired by Yankee Glide and out of Adelaide Hall, was a tough winner of the Ulf Thoresen Memorial, raced Sunday afternoon (July 13) at Jarlsberg in Norway.

Fire To The Rain had to trot outside leading Jontte Boy, but still managed to put his nose in front to win the 1-5/16th mile event in a new race record of 1:56.3f. Fire To The Rain was driven by Ulf Ohlsson and is trained by Reijo Lijlendahl, who for many years was assistant trainer to legendary Stig H. Johansson.

Fire To The Rain was sold as yearling for $140,000. He’s a full brother to All Laid Out 3,1:52.4f ($432,460) and was bred by Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership. All Laid Out is now at stud in Finland.

Fire To The Rain raced just once as a 2-year-old in the United States. This spring he improved a lot and at the Elitlopp meeting he was beaten by a neck by Jontte Boy; both were timed in 1:55f.

This Sunday Fire To The Rain got his revenge in a race that was worth $80,000.