June 14, 2020 – High class trotting action took place yesterday on the harness racing half mile track at Padova Italy.
There were five Groupe level contests.
The Gr. II Gran Premio Padovanelle (purse 80,080€, 1640 meters autostart, 12 starters) was the headliner and it received the most attention due to the appearance of Zacon Gio (5m Ruty Grif-May Glade Font SM-Yankee Glide-Kim’s Diamond Chip), the 2019 winner of the Yonkers NY International.
He did not disappoint as he scored gate to wire in a world record 1.09.3kr (half mile track race record, mile rate 1:51.5).
Roberto Vecchione teamed the Holger Ehlert trainee that is owned by Giuseppe Franco.
Stablemate Sharon Gar (9g Varenne-Geneve Gar-Lemon Dra) tracked the winner but could not keep up in the final quarter finishing second, timed in 1.09.8kr.
V.P. Dell’Annunziata teamed her for trainer Ehlert.
Third was Virginia Grif (6f Varenne-Fancy Capar-Supergill) for Fed Esposito.
Veteran Arazi Boko (13g Varenne-Laura Kemp-Supergill) was fourth.
Zacon Gio’s pedigree and the race replay are shown below.
For the Zacon Gio video replay click here
There were two divisions of the Gr. III Gran Premio Elwood Medium on the fine Padova card, each for a purse of 50,050€ and raced over 2040 meters autostart.
In the filly division for three year olds the 1.15.0kr winner was Bonneville Gifont (3f Varenne-Fedora Caf-Toss Out) for Roberto Vecchione.
She defeated Bernadette Jet (3f Maharajah-First Lady Jet-Supergill) handled by Roberto Andreghetti.
Her third dam was the down under champion trotter Petite Evander.
Third in this race was Bica DL (3f Zola Boko-Cindy America-Supergill) for Antonio Di Nardo.
Cindy America also comes from an important internatiomal pedigree as shown below.
The three year old colt division went to 1.15.5kr clocked Bonjovi MMG (3m Ganymede-Ethel Blak-Indro Park) reined by V.P. Dell’Annunziata.
Baccani (3, Ideale Luis-Butlers Choice-Harmonious) was next with Antonio DiNardo aboard and third was Bigbusiness ARC (3m Varenne-Crazie Italia-Pine Chip for Alessandro Gocciadoro.
The four year olds contested two divisions of the Gr. III Gran Premio Citta’ di Padova (each for a purse of 50,050€, distance 2040 meters).
The filly division went to 1.12.5kr timed and Roberto Vecchione reined Ambra Grif (4f Varenne-Novella di Jesolo-Lindy Lane).
She bested equal timed Alaska Gams (4f Maharajah-Edwige Blak-Supergill) with Andrea Guzzinati aboard with third to Alouette handled by Enrico Baldo.
In the colt division the 1.11.6kr clocked victory was earned by Alrajah One (4m Maharajah-Mariu’-Varenne) with Enrico Bellei the pilot.
Second was Always EK (4m Filipp Roc-Nike EK-Varenne) and reinsman Alessandro Gocciadoro and third went to Aguacate (4m Iglesias-Laguna As-Lemon Dra).
In other European notices, the great Zoogin, shown below with Ake Svanstedt, passed away this week at age 31.
Quite a horse he was on the track and as a stallion
Zoogin and Svanstedt
Another name from the past emerged today in the Breedlopp at Solvalla.
Stig H. Johansson was the pilot for third finishing Fixi Mearas (5f Muscle Hill-Trinity Starlight-SJs Photo) that was off as the 1.8/1 favorite.
Stig H. also trains this well-bred mare.
Thomas H. Hicks