Wilkes-Barre, PA — Nordic Catcher S, last year’s Hambletonian winner, will line up behind the starting gate for the first time in 303 days on Wednesday morning (June 3) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with the horse entered in the last of three qualifiers following nine trials for 2-year-olds during the 10 a.m. session.
Nordic Catcher S went 5-3-1-1 in his abbreviated 2025 campaign, earning $573,322 and boosting his lifetime stats to 10-5-4-1-$813,285 for owners Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Little E LLC. The star trotter certainly earned his Hambletonian triumph, tucking third leaving then grinding away en route to a length victory in 1:50 after winning his elimination in 1:50.3. Nordic Catcher S did not race after that August day, and the harness world will be waiting to see how he fares in his return, with co-owner/trainer Svanstedt in the sulky as the horse starts from the outside post 5.
Svanstedt also has 12 2-year-olds who will go out for their first racing experience. The dozen Svanstedt trainees are matched by the dozen babies coming from the shed row of Todd Schadel, the “king” of the Pennsylvania fair circuit in recent years.
Replays of Pocono qualifiers can be watched at www.phha.org.