by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Michael Knutsson would have preferred Sebastian K’s time on the track was spent racing last Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono — and the world champion looked raring to go — but their visit to the northeast Pennsylvania oval was a fitting conclusion to the trotter’s record-setting career.

Sebastian K was recognized for his accomplishments with a special retirement ceremony on Aug. 22 at Pocono, the same track where he trotted the fastest mile in harness racing history last year when he won the Sun Invitational in 1:49. Pocono also hosted the Sebastian K Invitational in his honor. The race was won by E L Titan.

The Swedish-born Sebastian K, bred and owned by Knutsson and his brother Tristan Sjoberg, was retired because of a ligament injury. The 9-year-old stallion finished his career with 34 wins in 77 worldwide starts and $2.97 million in purses.

“It’s a special moment,” Knutsson said about the retirement ceremony. “Pocono Downs goes to our heart forever. It was the race of all races that Sebastian K did (here) in a fantastic career. To be here at Pocono on the racetrack for the last time, it is the perfect finale, the perfect ending.”

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Ake Svanstedt (left), Robin Knutsson (holding flag) and Michael Knutsson (black shirt) are joined in the winner’s circle by Pocono’s Jennifer Starr and Rick Kane and Hanover’s Jim Simpson. Sebastian K and Bernie Noren can be seen in the background.

Knutsson was joined in the winner’s circle ceremony by his son Robin, who was proudly carrying the Swedish flag, trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, and representatives from Hanover Shoe Farms, where Sebastian K will stand at stud. Svanstedt’s assistant Bjorn “Bernie” Noren walked the high-spirited Sebastian K around the winner’s circle, although it looked like the trotter was more interested in dashing around the track.

“It’s a great honor to have a track like Pocono honor him,” Svanstedt said. “It’s kind of big to have a track do something like that. For a track to acknowledge what he did for harness racing last year is special.”

Last year, his first in North America, Sebastian K won eight of 13 races and received the Dan Patch Award as the sport’s best older male trotter. He began his North American campaign with a record streak of four consecutive victories in 1:50.3 or faster, capped by his 1:49 triumph at Pocono.

Overseas, Sebastian K’s victories included the Oslo Grand Prix, UET Trotting Masters, and Aby Stora Pris (twice).

“We’ve bred certainly 100 horses and never had a winner like Sebastian K,” Knutsson said. “He has given us so much pleasure and has taken us to so many great places, such as Pocono Downs. It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Racing wise, it has ended, but we love him.

“Now starts the new era. We really hope there will be plenty of mini-Sebastians running around and they will have good genes. We will soon find out how good they will become.”

To see video of the retirement ceremony on this week’s edition of Morning Line, click on the video above, or on this link.