Fans of harness racing around the world waiting for the North American debut of downunder pacing sensation Lazarus will not have to wait much longer.
Reports indicate that Lazarus trained a mile in 1:56 and paced a final half in :56 on Tuesday (July 3) at Jimmy Takter's Millennium Farm in East Windsor, N.J.
According to Takter, he's very much a "Bettors Delight" and has acclimated well to North America.
If all goes well, he should qualify at The Meadowlands in the vicinity of Hambletonian Day, and from there his connections will see what racing options present themselves.
"This is a very good horse," explained Takter, who has trained more than his share of very good horses.
Lazarus pictured with Ernie Martinez and Jimmy Takter at his farm in New Jersey (Photo courtesy Vicki Wright)
Lazarus won 35 out of his 45 starts in Australia and New Zealand, and many of his victories came over half-mile tracks at assorted distances against bulky fields. He won six of his eight starts at age two, and set a hemisphere record of 1:52.4, which also saw Lazarus pace his final quarter in :25.1. Lazarus was undefeated during his three-year-old campaign in which he won all eight of his starts.
Lazarus annexed just about every Group 1 Australasian classic at one time or another, including two New Zealand Cups, The Inter Dominion, The Hunter and Victoria Cups. Lazarus is the richest Down Under-bred Standardbred of all time, with earnings of $3,821,006. Lazarus, who is the richest son of the dual-hemisphere stallion Bettors Delight, was acclaimed pacer of the year at ages three, four and five and also horse of the year at age five. He holds seven individual track records at multiple distances.
Duncan Taylor of Taylor Made Sales and Stallions recently discussed the purchase of Lazarus and Taylor's return to the Standardbred industry with The Meadowlands' Dave Brower.