Tactical Approach leads 3-year-old trotting colts

The sophomore class for trotting colts and geldings was full of talent, the “wealth” and speed shared by a number of horses all vying for year-end harness racing honors. But, at the end of the season, there was one particular colt emerging by taking three of our sport’s most prestigious events-Tactical Approach.

Here’s a look at many of the top ones in the “Class of 2023.”

Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing), a winner of one single race and $36.500 as a two-year-old in an abbreviated season of five starts, was the “storied” sophomore of 2023 with wins in the two most notable races for his class—the $1,000,000 Hambletonian and the $672,000 Breeders Crown—both from the 10 post.

The one from the 10 post at The Big M in the “Hambo” was from an outside post while the one at Hoosier Park in the Breeders Crown was from a 10 post in the second tier. Both, however, ended in similar fashion with the winner finding room to squeeze through along the pylons for the wins. Add to that a triumph in the $450,000 Kentucky Futurity and it’s hard to deny the crown in this division to Tactical Approach.

Yes, Ari Ferrari J, Celebrity Bambino, French Wine, Up Your Den and Southwind Tyrion kept him from the winner’s circle in some events but, when the “chips” were down, Tactical Approach lived up to the task with earnings of more than $1.5 million and a mark of 1:50.1—second fastest in his class of sophomores…and to think, he started this campaign in late April in a NW2 conditioned event, which he won in 1:52.3—:27—-with the best yet to come.

Up Your Deo (Walner) kicked off the 2023 campaign in the $30,000 NJSS at The Meadowlands—in the slop, no less—and, from the second tier 11 post, wended his way close up and used a closing kick home in :26.2 to win in 1:52 (with the track allowance two seconds that night!)

He finished third in the $240,000 Final to Air Power and Oh Well and then went a few miles up the road to Yonkers where, despite a slight miscue at the start, took the $40,000 MGM Trot before wrapping things up by winning the $300,000 MGM Final. Fifth in his Hambo Elim, he finished third in the Hambo after making a double bubble bid turning for home. A win in the $300,000 Beal at Pocono Downs in 1:52.33 left Kilmister and Kierkegaard K in his wake.

After being 3rd and 6th in the NJ Classic events, he traveled north of the border and won a Canadian Trot Elim and. Then, in the $488,400 Final, took charge turning for home but finished fourth to Celebrity Bambino. He turned things around in the Breeders Crown Elimination, winning in 1:53.1 on the strength of a :26.2 final panel and, in the $672,000 Final, took charge early, got hopelessly shuffled and found doom to roam late to finish second to Tactical Approach, finishing the year with $696,215, second on the money list in his class.

French Wine (Bar Hopping) trotted the fastest mile in his class—1:50—at The Red Mile in KYSS action. Sporting a record of 4-6-4 in 18 starts, the colt never miss a check with his biggest payday being in the $252,000 PASS Championship by scoring in 1:51.4—the race right after his 1:50 performance. Parked the mile (and 25 yards) in the $450,000 Kentucky Futurity, he forged to the front in the lane and was caught a stride or two from the wire by Tactical Approach, clocked in 1:52.

French Wine then had two strong performances in the Breeders Crown Elimination (2nd) and Final, where he came from eighth near the top of the lane to get 3rd to Tactical Approach and Up Your Deo. Three more strong performance at the HuP in November produced a fourth, a win and a 2nd, missing all the marbles in the $58,000 Thanksgiving Turkey Trot by a lip! He banked $628,536 for the year.

Ari Ferrari J (Walner) enjoyed some big paydays in 2023 with wins in the $350,000 Zweig at Vernon Downs and the $400,000 KYSS Final at The Red Mile. Beginning his year humbly in NW2 company (finishing 2nd), he just missed in 1:52.1, bursting home in :26.1. Cutting the mustard in his first NJSS event, he finished a game second in a 1:51 mile won by Air Power.

His first win was in NW2 where, despite being hung out to dry for the first half or so, he finally cleared and won handily in 1:53.4—:27.2. Though he trotted in 1:51.3 in the $240,000 NJSS Final, he could do no better than sixth to Air Power, Oh Well and Up Your Deo, among others. In the MGM Yonkers Trot “warm-up,” he was able to muster a third from the seven post and was a competitive third in the $300,000 Final.

In the aforementioned Zweig at Vernon Downs, he wired his foes in 1:51 and followed that up with a near gate-to-wire win in the Tompkins, On to The Red Mile, he had three seconds and a fourth in a quartet of $80,000 KYSS events before springing an upset in the $400,000 Final while taking his mark of 1:50.3. He was a close up fifth in the KY Futurity and, after an extremely tough journey in his Breeders Crown Elimination at Hoosier Park still finishing second, he pressed the pace in the Final but finished out of the money and becoming a “1 percent-er!” He was fifth on the money list in his class.

Celebrity Bambino (Muscle Hill) was yet another that showed brilliance on several occasions against a very group of three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. Beginning his season in SS action at The Meadowlands, he was trotting final panels as quickly at :26.3 and getting checks but unable to reach the winner’s circle.

After a brief rest of three weeks, he qualified in late June and, one week later, handled the likes of Oh Well and Tactical Approach, among others, and, after a sharp performance (a good closing 4th), he, confidently, won his Hambletonian Elimination in 1:50.4—out in :55.4 and home in :55.1—his best performance of the year. After a confident quarter move in the $1,000,000 Hambo Final, he was outkicked in the lane as Tactical Approach, snuck through along the pylons with Oh Well and Up Your Deo also getting to him late.

Three races and three checks later, he went up to Canada, won the “warmup” for the Canadian Trotting Classic and followed that a week later in the $488,400 Final in 1:51.4 for his biggest payday of the season. In the Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile, he drew the inside one post but got away poorly (7th) and was shuffled to 10th halfway through but closed with a furious rush to get third, beaten less than a length. After handily winning his Breeders Crown Elim, he threatened turning for home but wound up a “1 percent-er” at the end of the mile. He closed out his campaign in the Erskine at Hoosier where a miscue late doomed his chances. He won $554,946, fifth on the list.

Oh Well (Muscle Hill) suffered from “seconditis” in his first four starts as Tactical Approach, Up Your Deo, Air Power and Celebrity Bambino took turns beating him to the winner’s circle before a win in the $138,500 Stanley Dancer in 1:51.2 changed all that. But in both the Hambletonian Elimination and the Hambletonian Final, though he raced courageously, was second in both with Tactical Approach squeezing through to take that $1,000,000 Final.

After winning the NJ Classic warmup, he was second in the $275,000 Final before changing tactics in the Bluegrass at The Red Mile and rolled home from off-the-pace to win in 1:51.2. He closed out his season in the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown Elimination, unable to be in the top five. With a 3-7-0 card, he banked $517,017 for his season.

Chapercraz (Crazy Wow), Helpfirstedition (Helpisontheway), Jet Hill (What The Hill) and Air Power (Muscle Hill) closed out the top 10 in earnings while Kierkegaard K (Chapter Seven) and Kilmister (Chapter Seven) are mentioned, each having a mark of 1:50.3 this season.

In terms of wins in the division, Goomster (Cassis) had 15 wins on the year in 20 starts earning $151,858, staying close to home in Illinois and Indiana.

That’s a look at the sophomore trotting class of 2023 for the colts and geldings…and a very great group it was.

“May The Horse Be With You”

by John Berry, for Harnesslink