EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J.- It
was a banner Hambletonian Day for Team Takter.
Hall
of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter finished 1-2 in the $1 million Hambletonian for
3-year-old trotters as Trixton beat Nuncio by a half length on Saturday at
Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
Making
the victory even sweeter, it was Takter’s first winning Hambletonian drive.
And
it didn’t stop there.
Takter
also took the companion event for 3-year-old trotting fillies, the $500,000
Hambletonian Oaks with Lifetime Pursuit.
Takter
became only the second trainer to win the Hambletonian and the Oaks in one
year, joining Jan Johnson who sweep both in 1988.
In
both instances, Takter won with his “other” horse. Father Patrick, the 2-5
favorite, had won 15 straight for Takter, and looked like a lock heading into
the Hambletonian.
That
blew up early when Father Patrick a break. Fortunately for Takter, he still had
two solid chances.
Nuncio
and Hall of Famer John Campbell set a pressured pace. Takter meanwhile worked
out a perfect second over trip before tipping three wide turning for home.
It
was all Takter in the lane, as his two colts pulled well clear of the pack. The
only drama was which one would prevail.
It
was Trixton, winning for seventh time in nine starts this season.
“It’s
been a great day,” Takter said. “I just won the Oaks. It’s hard to absorb so
much good. God gave it to me. I’m so happy.”
To
win the Hambletonian as a driver only added to the experience.
“When
I have a possible contender, I put the best possible driver up,” Takter said.
“This was my shot. If was going to do it, I had to do it today.”
Trixton
earned $503,062.50 for owners Brixton Medical A B and Christina Takter.
Trixton
trotted the mile in 1:50 3/5, paying $10.60 to win.
The
attendance was 20,764 for the first Hambletonian raced before the new,
streamlined grandstand on an overcast afternoon following a rainy
morning.
They
were treated to an extraordinary afternoon of racing that saw the meet leaders
enjoy huge days.
Yannick Gingras drove five winners, including four major
stakes.
Ron
Burke sent out four winners, including three top stakes winners.
$500,000
HAMBLETONIAN OAKS
That
Takter won the Hambletonian Oaks did not come as a surprise as he sent out Del
Miller Memorial winner Shake It Cerry.
Yes,
Takter did get the victory, but it was other 3-year-old trotting filly,
Lifetime Pursuit that delivered a 10-1 upset.
And
she did it in style, beating Designed To Be by 2 1-2 lengths in a world record
1:50 4/5 performance.
She
had a little help from a friend.
Shake
It Cerry, starting in the second tier, worked her way to front to give Lifetime
Pursuit an ideal pocket trip.
Gingras
had a ton of filly tugging at the lines when he turned Lifetime Pursuit loose.
“It
definitely was a perfect trip,” Gingras said. “She probably needed that to win
but she was awesome today. Jimmy pulled her shoes and that was the difference
right there. She has always been good gaited but she definitely had more speed
in her today.”
Lifetime
Pursuit is owned by Brittany Farms.
$355,500
PETER HAUGHTON MEMORIAL
Centurion
ATM stamped himself an early contender for next year’s Hambletonian with a 3
3-4 length victory over Uncle Lasse in the Peter Haughton for 2-year-old
trotters.
Trainer-driver
Ake Svanstedt guided the $100,000 Harrisburg purchase to his second win in four
starts.
The
time of 1:53 2/5 was a track record for his division. And he was completely
under wraps in deep
stretch.
The
son of SJ’s Caviar is owned by Courant A B and Knutsson Trotting.
“It’s
awesome, absolutely fantastic,” co-owner Michael Knutsson said. “Especially on
this day. It’s fantastic.”
Last
week, Centurion ATM won the single elimination for the Haughton Memorial by
3-1/2 lengths over Uncle Lasse in 1:54.2. It was Centurion ATM’s first victory
after second-place finishes in his first two races.
$352,050
MERRIE ANNABELLE
Mission
Brief dominated the Merrie Annabelle for 2-year-old trotting fillies, cruising
to victory in a world-record equaling 1:52 2/5 for Gingras and Burke.
The
New Jersey Sires Stakes champion improved her record to 4 for 5 for Burke
Racing , Our Horse Cents Stable, J & T Silva and Weaver Bruscemi.
She
was a $150,000 yearling purchase at Lexington.
As
the field made the left turn for home, Mission Brief trotted away, putting 8
1-2 lengths between her and Jolene Jolene who passed Lock Down Lindy in
the final strides to be third.
$300,650
JOHN CASHMAN JR. MEMORIAL
Sebastian
K S continued his dominance of the Free-For-All trotting ranks with yet another
crushing victory in the John Cashman Jr. Memorial.
After
putting away the pacesetting Archangel, Sebastian K S cruised through the lane
under wraps with Svanstedt at the lines,
The
time was 1:50, equaling the world trotting record on a mile track.
The
8-year-old posted his seventh win in eight starts this season, beating Market
Share, the 2012
Hambletonian winner, by 4 1-4 lengths as the 3-10 favorite.
Archangel
held on for third.
$257,700
U.S. PACING CHAMPIONSHIP
Sweet
Lou extended his winning streak to eight straight against the top older pacers
with a 1 1-2 length victory over State Treasurer.
Ron
Pierce drove for trainer Burke as the 5-year-old got his 30th win in
66 starts as he closes in on $3 million in earnings.
“He’s
unbelievable,” Pierce said. “He’s a super horse.”
Sweet
Lou powered to the front with a move up the backstretch and led the field to
the half in :53.1.
From
there, Sweet Lou was never threatened. State Treasurer pulled out from second
in the stretch, but was unable to make up ground on Sweet Lou.
It
was Sweet Lou’s fifth consecutive win in less than 1:48, the longest
streak by a standardbred.
Sweet
Lou is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura.
$225,000
NEW JERSEY CLASSIC
Sweet
Rock pulled a 92-1 stunner in the premier event for 3-year-olds bred in New
Jersey.
Making
his debut for trainer Wayne Givens and Legacy Racing of Delaware, R.A. Hazzard
and G.P. Galloway, Sweet Rock edged Beat The Drum by a nose in 1:49 4/5.
The
$187.80 payoff was a stakes record.
Brett
Miller weaved Sweet Rock through a crowded stretch, getting up for a nose tally
over Beat The Drum. Bushwacker, who cut the fractions was third by a head
in the tight photo.
“I
knew absolutely nothing about him,” said Miller. “Just by off the program
I was looking at his lines, I mean he looks like a nice colt.
It
was the second lifetime win for Sweet Rock who has made 14 starts this year,
and 21 lifetime.
$177,750
LADY LIBERTY
Rocklamation
capped the huge day for Gingras and Burke, beating Anndrovette by a neck in the
Free-For-All for pacing mares.
It
was the third win in 11 starts this year for the 6-year-old owned by Our Horse
Cents Stable, Stable 45 and J & T Silva.
$100,000
MISS NEW JERSEY
Gettingreadytoroll
put away a challenge from Act Now in Thomas D’Altrui Miss New
Jersey for state bred 3-year-old pacing fillies.
Gingras
and Gettingreadytoroll, the 3-5 favorite, scored by a half-length.
Gettingreadytoroll,
the third stakes winner for Takter, is owned by Christina Takter and brothers
John and Jim Fielding.
It
was her fourth win in eight starts this year, five wins in 10 lifetime, and
lifted her bankroll to $105,957.
$75,000
VINCENNES
Natural
Herbie shipped in from Hoosier Park to win the Vincennes Free-For-All
Invitational in a career-best 1:51 4/5.
The
4-year-old gelding trained, owned and driven by Verlin Yoder extended his
winning streak to four. Overall, Natural Herbie got his 19th win in
his 38th start.
$52,000
IMA LULA FINAL
Classic
Martine held off defending Horse of the Year Bee A Magician by a neck in 1:51
1/5, equaling the world record for 4-year-old trotting mares.
It
was the seventh victory in nine starts this season for the Armbro Flight
winner.
Tim
Tetrick was in the sulky for trainer Chris Oakes and the ownership team of
Hauser Brothers Racing, Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich and Edwin Gold.
“My
mare, it’s probably not her best game on the front, but today we had to do it,”
Tetrick said. “She fought it out. (Bee A Magician) raced good but mine was
better today.”
TOTAL HANDLE:
While it takes some time to account for all of the money
wagered throughout the world, the early returns are in for Hambletonian Day,
and they are impressive. Handle for the 15-race program include
on-track, North American export, French export and Swedish export stands at
$8,523,804. Last year total handle was $7,710,389, marking an increase of
11-percent. The 2014 handle figure does not yet include Australia,
Finland, Denmark, Norway and Germany. As it stands now, the $8.5 Million
wagered on Saturday is the third highest handle in the History of the
Hambletonian, eclipsed only by $9 Million in 2005 and $8.8 Million in 2002.
