Jetstile wins Forus Grand Prix; Artistic As, Adams Hall also win

July 02, 2007

Jetstile won the $168,435 Forus Open Grand Prix Sunday in a mile rate of 1:54.3 over 1,600 meters over the fast Forus racetrack in Norway. Driven by Geir Vegard Gundersen for trainer Kai Johansen and owner Erik Sandb�ck, Jetstile was never in danger after taking a clear advantage at the top of the stretch.

The Forus Open Grand Prix had assembled a field which was second in class to the Elitlopp. The French 9-year-old Kool du Caux, the recent winner of the Copenhagen Cup was the favorite although he had to start from the second tier in the race that was about a mile.

With Jean Michel Bazire in the sulky, Kool du Caux opened fast between trotters�probably too fast�and made a break in the first turn, losing about 10 or 12 lengths.

Jetstile (Coktail Jet-Classical Stile, by Crown Speed) ultimately took the lead without being seriously challenged, followed by Thai Tanic (Viking Kronos) in the pocket. The second string of France, the recently successful L�Ocean d�Urfist, raced outside of the leader with Opal Viking following behind.

Citation (Conway Hall) tried a three-wide challenge on the backstretch, but he could not improve his position much from the back, while Bazire chose to go to the inside after the costly break with Kool du Caux.

Thai Tanic enjoyed the pocket trip to take second behind Jetstile while Kool du Caux made an impressive recovery to take third.

The race was a double for the Norwegian-breds Jetstile and Thai Tanic. Jetstile has always been given high standards, but when should have proven it in toughest competition, he has mostly failed. The victory in Forus Open could possibly be the real breakthrough for the great talent.

The card at Forus had some good races beside the �big one� and the race for the trotters not entered to the Open was captured by Kings Sugarboy (Sugarcane Hanover), a brother to among other the famed Prix d�Amerique-winner, Queen L (Tibur).

Kings Sugarboy closed very fast from behind to win for Hans Chr Holm and his heavy investing owners, Per-Arne Claussen and Stall CC A/S. He was timed in a rate of 1:56.1 over 1,600 meters. The French Larron du Bouffey was second ahead of Face of Speed. Mr. McNally (American Winner) was fourth, while Ro Lo (Armbro Nash) and Natural Arrogance (Royal Troubador) rounded out the beaten field.

The gelded North American import Plantagenet (Donerail-Cold Toes) took his second straight and is unbeaten in the care of Stig H. Johansson. He was guided by Erik Adielsson for Finnish owner Reima Kuisla. Plantagenet took some missteps in the start, lost positions, but repaired and took command quite early. He won ahead of Jocose (Express Ride) who also lost ground in the start. The winner was timed in 1.54.4 over 1,600 meters and earned almost $60.000.

The U.S import Lotsa Muscle (Muscles Yankee-Simple Challenge) made his debut in the race but did not have any chance.

The Swedish highlights this week took place at the Orebro-track (two hours drive from Stockholm), where the E3 finals (Open and Filly class) over �middle distance� were driven Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The filly division was easily captured by the Menhammar Stud-bred (Margareta Wallenius Kleberg) great talent, Lie Detector, a daughter from the first crop of world champion Varenne. The dam is the U.S-bred Face Lifted by Super Bowl-Good Lookin Mouse).

Lie Detector has won the Gold Filly and both elimination and final of the E3 stake and has earnings of almost $130,000, while $70,000 was the purse in the E3 final. Seven starts have resulted in four wins and her record is 1:58.4. She was now timed in a rate of 2:03 over 2,140 meters.

She is owned by Travkompaniet--with almost 3,000 members--and is trained by Stefan Hultman at Menhammar. Nursery Rhyme (Credit Winner) was second ahead of Cotton Waste (Smok�n Lantern).

The E3 Open class final was topped by a colt, who could be recognized from North America in 2006, when he raced some of the best 2 year olds, among other at The Red Mile in Lexington, Ky.

Artistic �s (Malabar Man-Feeling Blue by Mack Lobell), who was in the care of the Smedshammer Stable, made four pari-mutuel starts. He has over time improved and he now has three straight win under the care of Stig H. Johansson. He led the E3 final coast to coast and won quite easily with Erik Adielsson in the bike.

He was timed in a rate of 1:59.4 over 2,100 meters and has a previous record in

Sweden

of 1:56.4. His earnings are close to $200,000 and the E3 victory gave over $115,000.

Artistic �s is owned by the most heavily investing Kittelsen Racing Stable, who bought a �package� of 12 yearlings from ACL Farm in Lexington and also found the recent U.S stakes winner Primary �s.

The V75 Gold final at Orebro was captured by the Andover Hall, Angus Hall and Conway Hall brother Adams Hall (Garland Lobell-Amour Angus), who took his most meriting win.

He was timed in a rate of 1:57.1 over 2,140 meters at the sloppy Orebro track and was driven by trainer �ke Svanstedt. The purse was about $36.000.

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