Trainer Nancy Takter has been on fire since the first of her students hit the mile oval at The Meadowlands on March 31, with nine winners from just 21 starts at the start of racing Friday night (April 28).

After the second race on the card, the blaze continued to burn out of control.

Tactical Approach, a son of Tactical Landing-Sarcy, took a non-winners of two exclusively for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters where all seven starters were making their first starts of the year, going wire-to-wire in a lifetime-best 1:52.3 to up his lifetime stats to three wins from five outings.

“He’s very nice to handle,” said winning driver Scott Zeron. “I was very confident. We got a nice tailwind down the lane, and when you have that, they give you everything and more.”

With a pair of winning qualifiers under his belt, Tactical Approach cut out fractions of :28.1, :56.4 and 1:25.3 before finishing the job with a :27 kicker to reach the finish three lengths in front of Ari Ferrari J. Squared Away was third.

“I am very happy with the maturity and development of Tactical Approach,” said Takter. “This versatile horse has shown so much potential and I am confident he will continue to excel in the future. Tonight’s effort was outstanding and I am eagerly looking forward to the New Jersey Sire Stakes [which get underway May 13].”

As the 7-5 favourite, Tactical Approach returned $4.80 to win.

Pelling protégé proves quickest

The Brett Pelling-trained Quick E (Sweet Lou-Southwind Tempo) closed well through the stretch to take a non-winners of two for filly and mare pacers in her first start of the season in 1:52.2. It was just the third career outing for the three-year-old.

“She’s come a long way,” said winning driver Todd McCarthy. “The last of the [three] qualifiers [before racing tonight] was really good [a 1:52.2 win]. She got out of there good tonight. It ended up we got live cover off the turn and she went pretty well from there. She’s still a little green, but I was very happy with her.”

Quick E won it by a neck over another Pelling student, Southwind Bella, and returned $7.80 to win as the 5-2 second choice in the wagering.

A little more

Dexter Dunn led the driver colony with five winners on the card while Kelvin Harrison was the top trainer with three walks down victory lane. 

Always tough on the handicappers are the Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club events, and the betting backed that up Friday as divisions one and three on the program saw three horses go to the gate at odds of 5-2. Division two had a 2-1 favourite, followed by a 7-2 shot and a pair at 5-1.

Friday’s 14-race card saw all-source wagering total $3,007,798.

Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

(With files from The Meadowlands)