Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Scarlet Knight in his paddock in Sweden......and, in rein to his trainer-driver

Exported as a yearling, raised, developed and trained in Europe, Scarlet Knight is the 1st U.S.-bred trotter to come back to win the Hambletonian (in 2001). From a Swedish perspective that's an accomplishment that Solvalla racing official Klaus Koch compared to America landing a man on the moon. According to Claes Friedenvall, editor-in-chief of TravRonden , "…it's very big and maybe the biggest ever victory in harness racing in Sweden."

For 43-year-old Stefan Melander, Scarlet Knight's trainer-driver-owner it marked a number of milestones. He was the first trainer-driver-owner to win the Hambletonian since Stanley Dancer accomplished the triple with Bonefish in 1975. He was also the first trainer/driver combo on the winner since Dancer won with Duenna in 1983.

A perfect "eight for eight" as a 3-year-old coming into the Hambletonian, Scarlet Knight was a six-length victor in his elimination. Scarlet Knight was only the 5th Hambletonian winner (at least since 1945) to come into the race with an unblemished record as a 3-year-old.

As a result of his achievements, Scarlet Knight was named Horse of the Year in Sweden in 2001, and was a runner-up in the Athlete of the Year balloting, won by golfer Annika Sorenstam. He was also a U.S. Dan Patch nominee for sophomore colt trotter and Melander was named an USHWAN of the Year for his cooperation with the media.

Though Perretti Farms manager Bob Marks claimed he named Scarlet Knight based only on the name of his dam, Ruby Crown, the central New Jersey-based Rutgers University football team also has a Scarlet Knight as a mascot.

Scarlet Knight raced 68 times and won 41 races, posted eight second-place finishes, and finished third five times. He earned $2.5 million and has a record of 1:52.3f.

In 2005 Melander announced that Scarlet Knight had been retired to stand stud at Erikssunds Säteri in Sweden. That same year Scarlet Knight had apparently experienced a problem with his left front leg after his start in the Prix d'Amerique in late January.

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