"He likes it at Yonkers now. I tried him there a year or two ago and I had trouble with him getting around. But he’s stronger now and matured quite a bit."

When Yonkers Raceway officials invited trainer Jimmy Takter to enter a horse in last year’s International Trot Preview, it’s unlikely anyone could have expected the effect it would have on this season to date.

Takter sent Not Afraid to the race. Not because the horse had any previous success at Yonkers -- he had hit the board only once in five prior starts at the Hilltop in 2013 -- but because Takter had no other available options. Not Afraid finished seventh in the International Trot Preview, beaten only four lengths from post eight, and Takter thought enough of the effort that he decided to give the horse a few more opportunities at the half-mile oval.

Since then, Not Afraid has won eight of 10 starts at Yonkers. Seven of those victories have come this year and Not Afraid will bring a five-race win streak into Saturday’s Open Handicap, where he will start from post five in a five-horse field with driver Daniel Dube.

"The SJs Caviars, they sometimes take a little longer to get things in order,” Takter said.

Not Afraid (SJs Caviar-Beverly Crusher) leads all horses in North America in purses this year, with $157,150. The total is only $134 shy of the six-year-old’s best season for earnings. He won $157,284 in 2012, when his triumphs included the Dexter Cup and Charles Singer Memorial final.

“It was a little bit of a coincidence. They asked me to have a horse for (the International Trot Preview) and the only one I had was him. I raced him and he had a bad post and was outside the whole mile, but he actually raced a tremendously good race. With a good post he would have been right there. I figured I’d give him a chance to see how he handled Yonkers again. It’s worked out.”

Not Afraid has shown versatility in winning his races this year at Yonkers. Four times he has grabbed the lead in the opening quarter-mile and stayed on top from there while three times he has been no better than third at the half-mile point and rallied in the stretch. Twice he has won at the extended distance of 1-1/4 mile.

A gelding, Not Afraid has won 25 of 83 lifetime starts and earned $584,444 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, and Goran Anderberg. He is a three-quarter brother to millionaire In Focus.

Takter did not stake the horse to any of the summer’s major races and he has no intentions of sending Not Afraid to Europe.

“He’s a nice horse, but to send a horse over to Europe you need one that’s a little special,” Takter said. “I think we’ll keep him (at Yonkers) and maybe give him a little break when the summer comes. It’s going to tighten up at Yonkers; there are going to be some better horses still coming. I’m sure it’s going to be a little tougher in summer. But he’s had a heck of a year so far.”

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.