By Perry Lefko for
BREEDERS CROWN Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter has entered five horses in this year’s Breeders Crown elimination races, but none of the starters has garnered as much impact as his fabulous three-year-old pacing filly See You At Peelers.
At one point this year she was the talk of the harness racing world, riding a lifetime undefeated streak that came to an end after 22 wins, including one against some quality three-year-old colts.
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| See You At Peelers |
See You At Peelers’ future seemed uncertain when she became a vet scratch for a scheduled New York Sires Stakes race at Yonkers Raceway on September 19 th . Fifteen days before, she finished first in a NYSS race at Tioga Downs
but was placed second. In her previous race, her undefeated streak ended when she finished sixth by 6¼ lengths in the Nadia Lobell Stakes at the Meadows.
It was discovered afterward her heart had an early beat, but a combination of medication and rest have corrected the problem and Takter said she has been training sensationally since.
“She looks like she’s coming back in right order and she looks as sharp as I’ve seen in a long time, sometimes you’ve got to take a shot,” Takter said.
Takter owns the Bettors Delight-West Side Glory miss with his wife, Christina and brothers John and Jim Fielding. Takter, who earlier this year was inducted into harness racing’s Living Hall of Fame, said he was told by his son-in-law/driver Marcus Johansson that Peelers wasn’t quite herself in the race prior to her defeat, even though she won by four lengths in a time of 1:50 2/5. Subsequent testing after the loss detected the heart problem.
“She’s going into (the elimination race) a little short, I don’t expect her to go out and win (it),” he said. “I’m just happy if she has a good race and makes the final and buys us another week. She’s going to need a start (to get 100 percent fit), that’s for sure.
“You’ve got to make tough decisions, but I spoke to the heart specialist (who is treating her). It’s nothing that is going to harm her. If she’s not racing good, she’s not racing good. If there was any concern about her well being, of course I would not race her. She’s a unique animal and I’ve love to see her show off herself in the Breeders Crown and do it in style.
“I’m happy she’s on the right track, which I see she is,” he added. “They’ve got to start back somewhere. It’s an opportunity.”
