| Class: | Group One International |
| Horse Race: | Finlandia-Ajo |
| Location: | Vermo Racetrack, Espoo, |
| Inaugurated: | 1980 |
| Race Type: | Harness race for standardbred trotters |
| Website: | Hippos.fi - Finlandia-ajo(in Finnish) |
| Distance: | 1,609 meters (1 mile) |
| Track: | Left-handed 1,000 meter track (0.62 mile) |
| Qualification: | Age 4-14. Invitational |
| Purse: | €110,000 (≈US$116,000) |
Finlandia-Ajo ("Finlandia Race") is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Vermo Racetrack in Espoo, Finland.[1] [2] The competition, which was inaugurated in 1980, is regarded as Finland's biggest trotting event. It is raced over the mile, 1,609 meters.[3] Finlandia-Ajo is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €190,000, equalling approximately US$247,000.[4]
Finlandia-Ajo is decided through a one-mile race. The first eight years (1980-1987), the race was over a slightly shorter distance (1,600 meters, 0.99 mile), but since 1988, the distance has been one mile. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.[3]
| Year | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Winning horse's native country | Winning time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Readly Express | Björn Goop | Timo Nurmos | 1:10:5 | ||
| 2018 | Pastore Bob | Johan Untersteiner | Johan Untersteiner | 1:11:0 | ||
| 2017 | D.D.'s Hitman | Ulf Ohlsson | Petri Puro | 1:09:8 | ||
| 2016 | Propulsion | Örjan Kihlströn | Daniel Reden | 1:10:2 | ||
| 2015 | Bret Boko | Ari Moilanen | Markku Nieminen | 1:12.2 | ||
| 2014 | Univers de Pan | Philippe Daugeard | Philippe Daugeard | 1:10.7 | ||
| 2013 | Nesta Effe | Roberto Vecchione | Holger Ehlert | 1:10.9 | ||
| 2012 | Sebastian K | 1:11.1 | ||||
| 2011 | Commander Crowe | 1:13.7 | ||||
| 2010 | Quarcio du Chene | Björn Goop | 1:10.6 | |||
| 2009 | Igor Font | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | 1:11.8 | ||
| 2008 | Oiseau de Feux | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | 1:11.3 | ||
| 2007 | Opal Viking | Nils Enqvist | 1:10.8 | |||
| 2006 | Hot Shot Knick | Thomas Uhrberg | Kari Lähdekorpi | 1:11.5 | ||
| 2005 | Kart de Baudrairie | Jean-Michel Bazire | Franck Leblanc | 1:12.2 | ||
| 2004 | Rotation | Stig H. Johansson | 1:12.5 | |||
| 2003 | Kiwi | Joseph Verbeeck | Fabrice Souloy | 1:12.0 | ||
| 2002 | H.P. Paque | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | 1:11.7 | ||
| 2001 | B.W.T. Magic | Ahti Antti-Roiko | Matti Salmi | 1:11.2 | ||
| 2000 | Giesolo de Lou | Jean-Etienne Dubois | 1:11.2 | |||
| 1999 | Giesolo de Lou | Pierre Vercruysse | Jean-Etienne Dubois | 1:11.6 | ||
| 1998 | Dryade des Bois | Joseph Verbeeck | Jean-Baptiste Bossuet | 1:12.5 | ||
| 1997 | Åke Svanstedt | 1:12.1 | ||||
| 1996 | Isla J. Brave | Aki Antti-Roiko | Petri Klemola | 1:12.5 | ||
| 1995 | SJ's Photo | David Wade | David Wade | 1:13.3 | ||
| 1994 | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | 1:12.5 | |||
| 1993 | Born Quick | Tommy Hanné | Tommy Hanné | 1:12.1 | ||
| 1992 | Otto-Mani | Antti Teivainen | Esa Aronen | 1:13.7 | ||
| 1991 | Atas Fighter L. | Torbjörn Jansson | Torbjörn Jansson | 1:13.5 | ||
| 1990 | Florida Jewel | William Fahy | John Holloway | 1:13.3 | ||
| 1989 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | 1:12.9 | ||
| 1988 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | 1:14.1 | ||
| 1987 | Grades Singing | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | 1:14.1 | ||
| 1986 | Davidia Hanover | Jorma Kontio | Per Eriksson | 1:14.7 | ||
| 1985 | Keystone Patton | Jorma Kontio | Antti Savolainen | 1:14.1 | ||
| 1984 | Shane T. Hanover | Per Henriksen | Per Henriksen | 1:14.9 | ||
| 1983 | Speedy Magnus | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | 1:13.2 | ||
| 1982 | Dartster F. | Olle Hedin | Olle Hedin | 1:13.9 | ||
| 1981 | Ideal du Gazeau | Eugene Lefevre | Eugene Lefevre | 1:14.3 | ||
| 1980 | Ejakval | Jean-Claude David | Jean-Claude David | 1:15.6 |