The meatball
by Lisa Harkema
He was the first superstar trained by Åke Svanstedt and helped make the trainer a household name all over trotting-Europe. Winner of the UET Grand Circuit for two years running, Zoogin was the complete package of speed and strength in powerful body.
Bred by Lennart & Lars-Göran Olsson, Zoogin was sold as a two-year old to Håkan Andersson in August 1992 and entrusted to Åke Svanstedt. The colt started twice at two, but ended outside the money on both occasions. After the winter break he won his first start at three, and then quickly established himself as one of the more promising Swedish three-year-olds. Zoogin won his elimination of the Färjestads Nordiska 3-åringspris, but after making a break he had to settle for fifth in the final. Still, the colt was improving all the time in Svanstedt’s skillful hands.
A second place in his Kriterium elimination meant a very tricky post 8 in the final, yet Zoogin won the final after a strong finish where he managed to hold off King Lavec. In the race Svanstedt sent his future star forward early, sat quietly outside the leader and then attacked again with 800 meters (1/2 mile) to go. This was typical of the Zoot Suit son; he had no problems doing most, or even all, of the heavy lifting himself. In fact, later in his career Zoogin won several big races by being parked outside and grinding the opposition down with his formidable strength.