One of the most anticipated matchups in harness racing in 2024 will be the next time sophomore trotting colts Karl and T C I face off. And many would like to see those two racing against each other on a Saturday at The Meadowlands.
Both horses were in-to-go on Saturday, May 18 at The Big M, but in different sessions. Karl is set to compete on Saturday night in New Jersey Sire Stakes action. T C I, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes-eligible, made his second appearance of the season during qualifying action on Saturday morning.
With regular pilot David Miller at the controls, T C I crossed over from post seven in the first qualifier of the morning and landed on the lead heading into the first turn. It was smooth sailing from there, as the son of Cantab Hall confidently cruised though fractions of :28.1, :57 and 1:25.4 before trotting home under a hand drive to trip the timer in 1:53.2.
Trained by Ron Burke, T C I won the O'Brien Award in 2023 for owners Burke Racing LLC, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi LLC by virtue of his stellar 10-2-0 summary, $1.45 million in earnings and mark of 1:51.4 taken at the Red Mile.
Also impressing on the trot during the Saturday session was 2022 O'Brien Award finalist Winners Bet. Making his second qualifying appearance for trainer Nancy Takter, Winners Bet sprinted home in :25.3 for driver Dexter Dunn to pick off Oh Well (Marcus Melander) in a 1:52.4 mile -- his second sub-1:53 qualifying effort of the month.
Winners Bet sports a 6-5-1 lifetime summary from 20 starts for owners Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Robert Rudolph with a 1:51 record and more than $712,000 in purses.
The fastest pacing mile of the morning came courtesy 2023 Matron Stakes winner Maxim Hanover, closing in :26.3 to trip the timer in a lifetime best 1:50.2 for driver Andy McCarthy. Robert Cleary trains the Pepsi North America Cup-eligible son of Captaintreacherous - Mean Leen for Royal Wire Products Inc.
(Standardbred Canada)