Will 1:46.4 Be Broken This Year?

After successfully returning from injury last year, Always B Miki showed he could race with and defeat harness racing's top older pacers. The next question: just how fast is he?

Trainer Jimmy Takter had the 2015 Breeders Crown winner out at The Meadowlands on Saturday morning prior to the track's qualifiers. He told harnessracing.com shortly after the qualifiers that Always B Miki was "very, very good" in a mile that the now five-year-old stallion "jogged in 1:51, with about a last half in :54 and last quarter in :26."

When asked if he felt Always B Miki had a shot at breaking harness racing's current race record of 1:46.4, Takter felt the son of Always A Virgin-Artstopper did in fact have a shot...but with a condition.

"It's a very good possibility but it will all depend on the fractions that are set up front," said Takter. "A horse can't do that on the front by himself. I'm very optimistic that if those fractions set up, then he can do it."

With a mark of 1:47.4 taken as a three-year-old, Always B Miki was already involved in one of harness racing's 1:46.4 miles -- the 2014 Meadowlands Pace win put up by Hes Watching. In that mile, Always B Miki never saw the rail, was parked three-wide around both turns and still managed a :25.3 closing quarter to pace his own mile in 1:47.1.

Owned by Bluewood Stables and Christina Takter of New Jersey and Roll The Dice Stable of Delaware, Always B Miki boasts a summary of 18-8-3 and earnings in excess of $1.29 million in 35 career starts. He's perfect in four starts for Takter, who plans on qualifying Always B Miki in two weeks at The Meadowlands before solidifying an early season race schedule.