Stochampionatet, raced Sunday afternoon (July 23) at the Axevalla track in Sweden, is a test over 1-5/8th miles and had Joviality with Erik Adielsson and trained by Sabine Kagebrant as a heavy favorite.

Joy Sisu won in a new race record of 1:56.3f (mile rate). Kanal 75 photo.

Joviality, who is owned by Courant Stable, is Swedish-bred, but was campaigned by Marcus Melander as a 2- and 3-year-old in the United States, where she proved to be on top of the game. Back in her homeland, Sweden, Joviality had raced five times and had won four races and one second going into Stochampionatet with a purse for the winner of 1.2 million SEK — or $115,000.

Joviality managed to take charge in front from post position one, but became too headstrong, so going into the stretch the rank outsider Joy Sisu with Mika Forss, who enjoyed a pocket trip behind her, came to attack. Joviality could not find an answer and faded to finish fourth.

Joy Sisu, trained by Petri Salmela and with Mika Forss in the bike, won in a new race record of 1:56.3f (mile rate) followed by Jennifer Sisu, trained by Timo Nurmos and with Magnus A. Djuse driving. Third was Mary Ann Lane with trainer-driver Johan Untersteiner.

This was an enormous success for the breeders of the Sisu horses, Sisyfos Breeders. Earlier this month another trotter from the Sisu crop of 2019, Julia Sisu (sired by Kadabra), won the prestigious Stosprintern at Halmstad.

The French stallion Brillantissime is the sire of Joy Sisu, who is out of a mare by Conway Hall. Second placed Jennifer Sisu is sired by Propulsion and out of a mare by Ready Cash, the sire of Brillantissime. Also, third placed Mary Ann Lane was bred using French/American blood as she is by Orlando Vici of France and out of a mare by Celebrity Sisu.