by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Ron Pierce is on a busman’s holiday in Sweden and was driving in seven races at the Visby track on the island of Gotland on Tuesday evening (June 26).

It was mostly rank outsiders that Pierce had to drive, but he managed to bring the Italian-bred Onika LB (a 6.5-1 shot) to win in a photo finish with Fazor Goj, driven by Eva Lundahl.

“I’m very happy with this win,” Pierce said after the race. “I do hope I’ll come back to Sweden again to drive in the Elitlopp. That is a race I really want to win, but to do that, you have to have a very extraordinary trotter.”

Pierce was all out in the finish and was fined $250 for using the whip too much.