In historical terms the Voterlöpning is less than 20 years old, and Francisco Castro can now call himself the winner of no fewer than five editions. On Sunday afternoon Papa Joe made every yard under Maikel Narvaez Bravo, securing half a million Swedish kronor ahead of U S Goldtown and Ferrari BF.
Papa Joe (Kodi Bear) broke smartly from the stalls as usual and had already secured the lead on the inside around the first turn, ahead of U S Goldtown (Speightstown) and Echo Star (Profitable).
That order remained unchanged for a long way down the back straight, but Echo Star had to capitulate entering the home turn, where the strong field set off in pursuit of the two leaders.
None of those behind ever managed to reel in either Papa Joe or U S Goldtown, although Ferrari BF (Mo Town) got right up to the latter in the final metres and was only denied by a neck in third.
Fourth and fifth went to Niels Petersen’s pair Our Bear (Kodi Bear) and Bullet Bling, after which Stina Schäfing’s Twilight Hero (Twilight Son) took the final prize ahead of Bushwacker (Supremacy), Albarella (Toronado), Missing (Red Cactus), Zammy (Zaahid), Nocutsnobuts (El Kabeir) and Echo Star.
Papa Joe won the Voterlöpning by almost three lengths after turning into the straight on the bridle, securing the first prize of SEK 500,000 for Stall Västra Kustvägen – Easy.
The bay gelding has now won four of his first five career starts – the only defeat so far coming in the autumn’s Skånelandlöpning, when second behind Bullet Bling (Violence). A performance which, according to trainer Francisco Castro, was affected by an infection the son of Kodi Bear was later found to be carrying.
Castro found Papa Joe himself during his search for new talent at the 2024 Goffs Orby Sale in Ireland, where the well-made yearling was knocked down to him for €35,000.
Papa Joe is out of the Gold Away mare Last Gold, making him a half-brother to the 2023 Blandford Stakes (Gr.2) winner Lumiere Rock (Saxon Warrior).
Lumiere Rock was later also second in the Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr.2) and Prix de la Nonette (Gr.2), among others, plus third in the Prix de l’Opera (Gr.1) and fourth in both the Irish Oaks (Gr.1) and Pretty Polly Stakes (Gr.1).
Since the Voterlöpning in its current form was established as part of Sweden’s Derby series in 2009, Francisco Castro has now won the contest five times.
In 2010 he triumphed with Moe Green (Xaar), who went on to win the Svenskt Derby and the Hurricanelöpning.
The Chilean-born trainer followed up with Borgen (Footstepsinthesand) in 2014, Stricker (Poet’s Voice) in 2017 and Shake The Disease (Power) in 2018.
Eight years would pass before Castro could take his fifth win, and he now stands one clear of his Jägersro colleague Lennart J:r Reuterskiöld, whose winners comprise Uppercut Action (Statue Of Liberty), Hurricane Red (Hurricane Run), Tiglath (Footstepsinthesand) and Wolfof Vancouver (Speightstown).
