Between them they've scored more than 520 goals, have played in the Stanley Cup finals and have combined to play 28 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. The Sedin brothers, Daniel and Henrik, know how to win. The question now, can they do as well on the racetrack as they have done on NHL rinks across North America?
From Sweden, where harness racing and hockey are the two most popular sports, the Sedin brothers have already won their native country's biggest race, the Elitlopp, with a horse named Nahar in 2013. Winning the Elitlopp is a crowning achievement for any Swedish harness racing owner, but the Sedin brothers have their sights set on other major harness racing accomplishments. They've started a stable in The U.S. Right now, it only has two horses, but they're interested in having it grow and in competing in the biggest standardbred races in the U.S., namely the trotting classic the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands.
The two purchased two yearlings last year at the Lexington sales. They paid $105,000 for a Donato Hanover colt named Songndance Hanover and $160,000 for a Credit Winner colt named Curious De Vie. Whereas top yearling can easily sell for seven figures at the thoroughbred sales, $105,000 and $160,000 is big money for a standardbred baby.
"We always looked at the big race over here, especially the Hambletonian," Henrik said. "We brought one of our horses [Amour Ami] over here to the Meadowlands a few years back and had lot of fun with it. This is a new market for us. We've raced in France and in Sweden and wanted to try the U.S. now."
Both horses are currently at the Sunshine Meadows training facility in Florida under the care of trainer Ken Oscarsson, getting ready for their 2-year-old campaigns. Oscarsson is overseeing their training, but the man in charge is top Swedish trainer Robert Bergh, who picked out both horses at Lexington.
Daniel said it was Bergh who came up with the idea of setting up a small stable in the U.S. He is among the top trainers in Sweden and wanted to have some sort of presence in the U.S. For the first time ever he came to the Lexington sale with the idea of buying racing prospects for the U.S.
"We've always had horses back in Sweden," Daniel said. "Probably the biggest trainer in Sweden right now is Robert Bergh and we have a bunch of horses with him. He wanted to make an effort to get something good over here. He asked us if we were willing to buy a few horses and we did. With us being over here for so much of the year it makes it more fun and hopefully we can be successful."
Several Swedish hockey players have owned trotters, among them Mats Sundin, Henrik Zetterberg and Peter Forsberg. Sundin was the co-owner of Rotation, who won the 2004 Nat Ray and Maple Leaf Trot. Forberg was a co-owner of Adrain Chip, who finished second in the 2007 Hambletonian.
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It's so different because in a horse race you can't do anything about the outcome. You watch, you're nervous the whole day. On the ice, you can do something to influence the result. When you are watching a race it is such an incredible feeling leading up to [the] race and watching them, it is nerve wracking.
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-- Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
The Sedin brothers weren't introduced to the sport until they began their professional careers as teenagers with the Swedish team Modo Hockey. They had a teammate who owned a horse and they went in with him as part owners. The were instantly captured by the sport and soon went out on their own as owners.
Teaming up with Bergh, one of their first top horses was Amour Ami. They brought him to North America, where he made three starts, including one in the 2009 Nat Ray. He failed to hit the board in any of his races here.
In harness racing, Nahar has been their claim to fame. Now 10, he has won 32 of 95 starts, earning $1.32 million.
"Winning the Elitlopp was a dream come true," Daniel said. "I got asked after we won that race how it compared to winning a hockey game. It's so different because in a horse race you can't do anything about the outcome. You watch, you're nervous the whole day. On the ice, you can do something to influence the result. When you are watching a race it is such an incredible feeling leading up to [the] race and watching them, it is nerve wracking."
Said Henrik: "You know how big it is, the Elitlopp. It was such a thrill to win it. But I enjoy winning any race. It doesn't matter if it is $5,000 or $500,000, I always get a thrill out of it. To see your horse in top shape and beating the best horses in the world, that is amazing."
When you spend a combined $265,000 on two horses at the yearling sales you know you are taking a risk, but also that you might just hit the jackpot. The Sedins say they'll be happy no matter how the horses turn out but after you've won an Elitlopp you're not exactly looking to win a $5,000 race at Smalltime Downs.
"With the horses we bought we had no input," Daniel said. "Robert picks them out. We have trusted him since Day One and he makes all the decisions. He has been really successful for us. We bought a few 5 year olds back in Sweden and some of them turned out to be among the best horses in Europe, so we trust him."
While they're in North America the Sedins don't have much time for anything else but hockey. Daniel said he's never attended a live race at a North American track, but did once go to Fraser Downs in Vancouver to watch simulcasting. But that's likely to change with the brothers having horses here. When the Canucks made a swing through Florida they visited Sunshine Meadows to see their two new prizes.
They're not sure how far they will take things when it comes to a U.S. stable. They will continue to have horses in Sweden because of their roots there and their family, which they say enjoys watching the horses race. But they admit that if they are successful with their U.S. based horses that will likely lead them to buy more.
"Being over here you do follow the races over here," Henrik said. "We went to Florida and that gave us a chance to see our horses down there That's what we like the most, to be around them.
It's nice during the season to be able to see them. We'll see what will happen. It's one of those things that will depend on how successful we are. Robert is such a good trainer and Ken has done a good job. We want to stay in harness racing for a long time. We see the U.S. market as a good racing market."
The Sedins are 34 and Vancouver, with the 13th best record in the NHL, is not having a particularly good year. Their chances of winning a Stanley Cup are starting to run thin. But the Hambletonian? With a little luck and if they keep buying expensive yearlings, there's nothing standing in their way.