Swedish-born trotter Gone Baby Gone never had the opportunity to fulfill the potential trainer Åke Svanstedt saw in the filly at the age of two. Five years later, though, she is making her presence known through the performances of her first foal, Kierkegaard K.
Three-year-old colt Kierkegaard K, the No. 4-ranked horse on the most recent “Road to the Hambletonian” produced by Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin, is two-for-two this season and coming off equalling the fastest trotting mile ever at Vernon Downs as he heads to Friday’s second of two eliminations of the MGM Yonkers Trot.
The Yonkers Trot is the first jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown, followed by the Hambletonian on Aug. 5 at The Meadowlands and Kentucky Futurity on Oct. 8 at Lexington’s Red Mile. Kierkegaard K will start his elim from post one at MGM Yonkers Raceway with trainer/driver Svanstedt and is the 2-1 morning-line favourite in the field of seven.
“I think he has come out of the gate swinging,” said Tristan Sjoberg of Knutsson Trotting Inc., which bred and owns Kierkegaard K. “I like the fact that he is not dependent on a trip. He is equally at ease [following horses] as a gate-to-wire race. He is such a happy and calm horse, so nothing really fazes him. He just gets on with it.”
Sjoberg purchased Kierkegaard’s mom, Gone Baby Gone, under the name M T Opus One at a 2017 yearling auction in Sweden for $50,000.
“Opus One happens to be my favourite Napa Valley wine, so I instantly liked her,” said Sjoberg. “Bernie [Noren], who works for Knutsson Trotting, liked her conformation and video, so she was my top pick at that auction and we managed to win the bidding. She was staked and eligible for everything in North America, so we shipped her over to Åke.
“I have never heard him, before or since, be so positive about a two-year-old. He said she was the fastest two-year-old filly he had ever trained.”
Three weeks before Gone Baby Gone was to qualify, she saw her career ended by injury.
“I usually never breed unraced mares,” said Sjoberg. “But Åke convinced me to breed her, so I did.”
Abandoning his usual philosophy appears to be a good decision.
Last year, Kierkegaard K, a son of Chapter Seven, hit the board in three of four preliminary rounds of the New York Sire Stakes and finished second in the series championship. He closed his campaign with four starts on the Grand Circuit, earning a cheque in each, including third-place finishes in a division of the International Stallion Stakes and elimination of the Breeders Crown. He was fifth in the Breeders Crown final, beaten by 2-3/4 lengths.
“He had a very good two-year-old season,” said Sjoberg. “After his performance in the New York Sire Stakes final, we decided to go for the Breeders Crown. In the final, third through fifth were all in the same photo [separated by a half-length], so without running into traffic in the stretch, he could have easily finished third.
“His performance in the Breeders Crown final convinced me that I had a top prospect for the sophomore season and Åke’s horses usually improve in the winter between the freshman and sophomore season.
“So, I expected him, barring injuries, to be even more competitive as a three-year-old. I was very surprised he didn’t make any Hambo winter book lists.”
Kierkegaard K, who has earned $226,509 in his career, jumped into the Hambletonian conversation with his performance in his division of the Empire Breeders Classic on June 16 at Vernon Downs. His time of 1:50.3 equa;led the track’s fastest mile, which was set by filly Atlanta in 2018 and proved to be a harbinger of her Hambletonian triumph over the boys several months later.
“The Hambo has always been the target this year,” said Sjoberg, who enjoys his own Hambletonian glory with Svanstedt-trained Captain Corey in 2021. “I knew we had a contender last year and he has managed to stay healthy and is in fine form. While this is a talented crop, there is no standout, with the possible exception being [filly] Special Way but it’s not sure if she enters the [Hambletonian] Oaks or the Open.
“I certainly think [Kierkegaard K] can make it to the final and then it is anyone’s race to win.”
Kierkegaard K is one of six Hambletonian eligibles in the second $40,000 Yonkers Trot elimination. The others are Southwind Admiral, Country Dagger, Kenobi, Tillios Action and Devilish Hill. Tillios Action finished second to Kierkegaard K in the EBC.
The first elimination features four Hambletonian eligibles: Father Stosh, Crown, Up Your Deo and Useyourlovetonight. Crown, who will start from post three with Brian Sears driving for trainer Marcus Melander, is the 2-1 favourite. The colt has a win and a third in two starts this season, both in the New York Sire Stakes.
Racing begins at 7 p.m. at Yonkers Raceway. For free TrackMaster past performances from the Standardbred Owners Association of New York, click here.
(USTA)