The second highest-priced yearling in North American sale history, Tactical Landing has changed barns after a winless rookie season.
A full-brother to world champion Mission Brief, Tactical Landing has moved from the care of developer and co-owner Bob Stewart to the Jimmy Takter stable.
“They got into a spot where they didn’t go forward with the horse, so why not try somebody else?” Takter told Harness Racing Weekend Preview. “We did a lot of adjustments and it seems like it’s worked pretty good. He’s a good horse; he’s definitely a good horse.”
Bringing a final bid of $800,000 from an ownership group at the 2016 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Tactical Landing took a qualifying mark of 1:56 at The Red Mile last August but was winless in two starts as a freshman -- once with and once without trotting hopples. Takter said that he's only had the horse in his stable for a few weeks but can tell the trotting colt has a ton of ability.
“I trained him in 1:53 at the Meadowlands and he has the speed, but that was by himself," continued Takter. "We put him in a group of eight horses a couple times on the farm which I think is going to help him. He will get familiar to go with big groups. He’s acting like a two-year-old, with high speed.”