by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Later this year Ake Svanstedt, the leading trainer in Sweden, will close his stable and move to the United States.

It has been in the cards for a while.

Together with his biggest owner, Karl-Erik Bender, Svanstedt was the mastermind behind the Palema Trotting Center in Vero Beach, Fla., which was built a couple of years ago.

However, it was first announced today in an interview with the Swedish newspaper, Aftonposten, that Ake Svansted broke the news.

“My owners have received notice today that I’m going to close my stable in Bjertorp,” Svanstedt said, who plans to stay in Sweden until the Swedish Breeders Crown finals in early November.

Svanstedt is by far the leading trainer in Sweden. So far, his stable has earnings of $2.8 million this year.

Svanstedt, who is born in 1958, has won all the major stakes races in Sweden as a driver; among those were the Elitlopp twice with Gidde Palema and Torvald Palema.