by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Björn Goop — the leading driver in Sweden — had a good day at Bjerke in Oslo, Norway on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 19) as he won four out of five races with total purses of $225,000.

Goop didn’t win the highlight of the day — the Norwegian Trotting Derby — as he was not in it, but he won the Norwegian Trotting Kriterium (for 3-year-olds) over the 1-5/16th mile distance, with a purse for the winner of $80,000, with Muscles Wiking B.R. in a very comfortable 2:00.2f (mile rate). Muscles Wiking B.R., who is sired by Muscles Yankee, recently won the European Championship for 3-year-olds.

This Sunday the European Championship for 5-year-olds was also carded and Goop was in command from start to finish with Yield Boko, a son of Viking Kronos. In this race Nu Pagadi with Erik Adielsson was the heavy favorite, but the chestnut trotter had an off day and finished fifth. Yield Boko won in a hand drive from Goop in 1:56.2f (mile rate).

In the Norwegian Derby for mares (4-year-olds), Goop was behind Rita Sensation, a mare sired by the French sire Dahir de Prelong. Rita Sensation finished strong on the outside to win in 2:00f (mile rate). The purse for the winner was $50,000.

Goop was also behind the winner in a race for 2-year-old trotters. Viking Spirit, sired by Viking Kronos, won in 2:01.2f over the mile.

The main event on the day, the Norwegian Trotting Derby over the 1-5/8th mile distance and with a purse for the winner of $125,000, was won by Makarov, driven by Eirik Höitomt in 2:00.3f (mile rate).

Makarov, who is sired by Pine Chip, is trained by the legendary Norwegian trainer/driver Gunner Eggen, who unfortunately turned ill and had to watch the Derby race from his bed at the hospital.

This was the 10th victory in a Derby for Eggen, who back in 1993 won the Derby with Won Eleven L — the dam of Makarov. It was the second win for Höitomt in the Derby.