by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

The 7-year-old French trotter Save the Quick, driven by Björn Goop of Sweden, won the European Championshiop for mares raced on Wednesday night (Aug. 14) at Solvalla.

Kanal 75 photo

Save the Quick won the European Championship for mares.

Save the Quick, who is trained by Franck Leblanc, took an early lead and stayed on to win in a new world record of 1:54f (mile rate) over the 1-5/16th mile distance. Sweden’s Dileva Käll with Daniel Reden finished second and Italy’s Princess Griff was third. The purse for the winner was $150,000.

The Jubilee Prize for 5-year-old trotters was raced on the same card. Panne de Moteur (Credit Winner) with Ôrjan Kilhström in the bike was able to take command from post seven and although co-favorite Occhione Jet with Erik Adielsson came with a late burst after enjoying a pocket trip, Panne de Moteur won by a half-length in 1:55.1f (mile rate).

Panne de Moteur is trained by Stefan Hultmann and owned by the public stable, Travkompaniet.

Is was a special night at Solvalla, not just because of the two big stakes races, but also because some of the world’s most legendary harness drivers teamed up in a race.

Stig H. Johansson, for many years the leading trainer in Sweden and winner of the Elitlopp several times, the Prix d’Amerique and the Nat Ray Trot, was back in the sulky for the first time since 2005 and he was joined by Berndt Lindstedt, 80-year-old Giancarlo Baldi, Heinz Wewering, and Jean Pierre Dubois.

That was something that got people to the track as there were 10,227 fans at Solvalla.

Johansson was behind the favorite Jaguar Broline, but they were never prominent in the race and finished unplaced.

The legendary French horseman, 73-year-old Jean Pierre Dubois, gave Jeppas Hugo a good trip at the pylons. Around the last bend he found racing room and went on to win by a half-length followed by Helen A. Johansson — the first and only female to win the Prix d’Amerique — while 70-year-old Olle Goop, the father of Björn, finished third.