Heavy favorite Karl (Tactical Landing) got back to his winning ways at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Thursday night (October 19th) with a dominant harness racing win in the first $25,000 elimination for the Breeders Crown for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Driver Yannick Gingras floated the Nancy Takter trainee out in fourth after leaving from the rail and he was content to sit there as leader Wild Ticket (Brian Sears) carved out a :28.1 opening quarter. But once they straightened away down the backstretch, Gingras gave Karl the word go, and he would clear to the front before reaching the half in a reasonable :57.2.
Karl would not face a serious challenge through the 1:26 three quarters and he widened his lead while under no Gingras urging on his way to a three-length 1:54.0 score. Mr. Bluebird (Ake Svandstedt), who sat third to the stretch, closed for second ahead of Greenspan (Dexter Dunn), who came from far back to get third. Dashing Danny finished fourth.
These top four finishers advance to next Friday’s final along with the fifth-place finisher from tonight’s eliminations that has the highest earnings. In this elimination, Wild ticket finished fifth.
KARL REPLAY
Winning trainer Takter heaped praise on Karl from the winner’s circle.
“He was super today,” she said. “He’s a really nice colt, you know he’s very professional. Yannick said that he drove perfectly for him so we’re looking forward to next week.”
Karl, who was beat a nose by T C I in his most recent start, has now won six of seven starts for Takter and her mother Christina and partner Black Horse Racing from New Jersey, Crawford Farms Racing of New York and Bender Sweden Inc. of Florida.
T C I, got a bye into next week’s final when he won the Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on September 15th. Like Karl, he has lost only one start all season.
Private Access (Muscle Hill) inherited the lead heading to the final turn and held it to the wire for a 19-1 upset win in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Louis Roy sent Private Access to the front leaving the gate and he kept it through a :27.2 opening quarter as early challenger Pick Pocket (Anthony Macdonald) broke stride on the first turn. The lead would be short lived as Dame Good Time (Scott Zeron) pulled form fourth and zoomed to the lead before the :57.3 half. Meanwhile, heavy 1 to 5 favorite Security Protected (Tim Tetrick) was content to sit fourth.
As the field headed toward the final turn, Dame Good Time broke stride, leaving Private Access on the lead for the second time in the mile with Situationship (Ake Svandstedt) in the pocket and Security Protected trying to mount a first-over challenge.
Security Protected would move into second past the 1:26.3 three quarters but get no closer as Private Access would fight off his challenge and another from Situationship nearing the wire, holding on for a 1/2-length 1:54.4 score. Joining the winner in next Friday’s final will be Situationship, Security Protected and Musclefantastic, who finished second, third and fourth, respectively. Fifth-place finisher Dame Good time, took the final spot in the final due to being the higher earner of the two fifth place finishers from each elimination.
PRIVATE ACCESS REPLAY
Private Access was winning for only the second time in seven starts for owner Determination and trainer Luc Blais who earlier on the card took one of the two-year-old filly trotter eliminations with Drawn Impression.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink