Always B Miki sprints away in ‘Crown’ romp

All Bets Off secured the lead approaching the first turn, but State Treasurer, who was parked out into the first turn, soon brushed to the lead off a :27.1 first quarter. He took the field by the half in :55.2 while Always B Miki edged first over and began to progress towards the top, with Mach It So on his tail.

 

Remaining stride for stride with pocket-rider All Bets Off off a 1:23 third quarter, Always B Miki started to chase down State Treasurer, who was drifting off the pylons slightly. All Bets Off managed to skid up the gap at the inside into the final eighth, but Always B Miki instantaneously powered by him and State Treasurer, drawing clear. '

 

Bettor's Edge finished second, State Treasurer third, Mach It So fourth, and All Bets Off fifth.

 

Making his second start of the season for the interests of Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable, and Christina Takter, Always B Miki paid $2.90 to win. He pushed his career earnings to $957,591. The four-year-old horse by Always A Virgin, out of the Artsplace mare Artstopper, is trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by David Miller.

 

"He's a fantastic horse," Jimmy Takter said. "We had a long journey here; we had a big bump in May when he got reinjured in the other leg, so I'm really, really pleased to see this horse [win], because he's really a special animal, and he's a very popular horse in the sport, with so many people asking about this horse. Seeing him come back, I thought he looked pretty darn good. I'm so pleased to be a part of his life."

"This horse has the right determination, an extremely great set of lungs, and, like David [Miller] said last year, he had some problems steering him, but the horse never got tired," Takter also said. "Like in the Meadowlands Pace, he was three wide and finished second; the whole race he was outside. Standing here, I was nervous; I didn't like post one. But when they went off, I knew he was going to be right there."

"You've got to be patient with them," Takter also said regarding Always B Miki's return to racing. "An injury takes time [to heal], and you have to listen to him [the horse]. He did very well; he was standing in his stall for a long time, and a lot of horses get frustrated doing that. He was able to keep his weight, so it's a heck of a story really. For this horse, he won the Breeders Crown elimination last year [in the 3-year-old colt pace], and never got an opportunity to show what a great horse he was in the final."

Always B Miki

 

by Ray Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown