Riccolo Sold To Norwegian

[Elgin]

IL star Riccolo sold, moved to Smedshammer   Return Home

July 11, 2012   
The top 3-year-old Illinois-bred trotter Riccolo has been sold and if all goes according to plan, will be racing in the Hambletonian for a Norwegian owner and trainer and a Swedish driver.
Torkel Alendal, a shipping executive from Haugesund, Norway, has purchased Riccolo from Walter and Paige Paisley, who also bred the horse, for a six-figure price. With the purchase of Riccolo, the horse moved to the stable of Trond Smedshammer, a native of Norway. Swedish driving ace Bjorn Goop has said he has been asked to travel to the U.S. to drive the horse in the Hambo.
"He got here Monday,

[careless hal]

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.    Good luck to the new connections.

[pope of vegas]

I hope Butch got Top Dollar !!!!!   Great Move !!!

[beans and weenies]

 

[LVGaryD]

Any time you can sell a horse right, you need to sell, unless you are not in the game to make money.

 

[Headpole Dave]

Sharp move. Made lots of money, sold him when he was the most valuable and more than likely made a great profit. Cash doesn't go lame! Good job with this one Butch! 

[Just Saying]

I hope the seller and the buyer made a good deal. Wish them both the best. Butch drove for me at Sportsmans and made me good money. He also treated me like a gentleman... I can't say enough good things about him. Walter Paisley is a class act.

[JoeB]

no offense meant to nelson willis or butch...but i think this trotter has the ability to go with the hambo trotters and trond is a topnotch trot man,,,hes the right kind of trainer to get the max ability out of this trotter....hopefully this deal is one that will be beneficial to all and congrats to butch and spider for the great job they did to this point...

[LVGaryD]

no offense meant to nelson willis or butch...but i think this trotter has the ability to go with the hambo trotters and trond is a topnotch trot man,,,hes the right kind of trainer to get the max ability out of this trotter....hopefully this deal is one that will be beneficial to all and congrats to butch and spider for the great job they did to this point...

Very good points! Welcome to In The Sulky!

[Elgin]

Trond Smedshammer knew Riccolo was undefeated, but still had questions as he targeted the 3-year-old gelding trotter for the Hambletonian. In winning last week's 3-year-old open at the Meadowlands, Riccolo gave the trainer the answers he wanted.
Riccolo is among two trotters from the Smedshammer Stable entered in Saturday's Hambletonian eliminations at the Meadowlands. The top three finishers from each elimination division plus the fourth-place finisher with highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $1.5 million Hambletonian final on August 4 at the Meadowlands.
Riccolo is a relative newcomer in Smedshammer's barn. He raced in Chicago, where he won all eight of his starts at Balmoral Park this season, before being sold to Norwegian interests in early July. He has earned $80,680 this year.
Last Saturday, Riccolo won by three lengths over Market Share in 1:54.2 at the Meadowlands with Smedshammer in the sulky. The clocking equaled the best win time of his career; a mark he first set in his previous start on July 1 at Balmoral while racing in the stable of trainer Nelson "Spider

[bettor2belucky]

Any time you can sell a horse right, you need to sell, unless you are not in the game to make money.

 

like the owner/trainer of GGGG

[Elgin]

By Lucas Marquardt

Here

[careless hal]

A lot of these questions will be answered Saturday.  I'm pulling for him.  I'm starting to look over the PPs and wondering which, if any of the main contenders will not make it.

[pezz97]

A lot of these questions will be answered Saturday.  I'm pulling for him.  I'm starting to look over the PPs and wondering which, if any of the main contenders will not make it.

Evenly matched elims this year. I see good betting opps in all 3.

I wish all eliminations had this many horses entered. Now they have to race a little harder to make it with only the top 3 guaranteed a spot.

[chicagojazz]

Sharp move. Made lots of money, sold him when he was the most valuable and more than likely made a great profit. Cash doesn't go lame! Good job with this one Butch! 

I believe he was sold for 1.7M