by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent

Nuncio, winner of last year’s Elitlopp, was driven by Ôrjan Kihlström to a second place finish in the Gold Division final at Solvalla Saturday afternoon (April 1) after having won 15 races in a row.

Gerard Forni photo

Nuncio, shown here winning the 2016 Elitlopp, suffers his first loss in his last 16 trips to the post on Saturday at Solvalla.

The 2014 Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity winner went to post as the 1-10 favorite in the 1-5/16 mile event. Kihlström tried to go for the lead, but got answered on the inside from El Mago Pellini, driven by Lutfi Kolgjini, and On Track Piraten driven by Johnny Takter.

Kihlström gave up and found cover behind On Track Piraten, who trotted outside El Mago Pellini. With 500 meters to go On Track Piraten tired, but Kihlström first opted to make his move with a quarter-mile to go and at that time there were several lengths up to El Mago Pellini.

Nuncio finished fast, but not fast enough. He caught El Mago Pellini, but not the rank outsider Kadettt C D driven by Robert Bergh, who had enjoyed a pocket trip behind El Mago Pellini. That rival won by 1-1/2 lengths over Nuncio, who just managed to hold off a fast finishing Thai Broadway driven by Björn Goop.

Kadett C D was 63-1 and his victory was largely instrumental in only one player having the right combination in the V75 bet, which paid $2.6 million.

Ôrjan Kihlström, who on Friday (March 31) captured his 6,000th career victory, was behind another North American-bred trotter in a race for mares. He won an easy victory with Delicious, a daughter of Cantab Hall, who was timed in 1.55.1f.