Jimmy Takter will send three horses into Saturday’s $633,000 Shes A Great Lady Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies at Mohawk Racetrack, but that is only part of a busy weekend for the trainer
. He has eight other horses racing Saturday, including Simply Business in the $1 million Metro Pace for two-year-old pacers and Pastor Stephen and Leader Of The Gang in separate divisions of the Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old trotters.
On Friday night, he will have a quartet of two-year-old trotters competing in the Champlain Stakes, which was divided into three divisions.
Takter’s American Jewel and Romantic Moment enter the Shes A Great Lady off elimination wins. American Jewel equaled the World Record for a two-year-old pacing filly (1:50.3) with her half-length victory over the previously-unbeaten Economy Terror. Romantic Moment captured her elim by two lengths over Sweetheart champion Pirouette Hanover in 1:51.2.
Both fillies won divisions of the Eternal Camnation Stakes at Mohawk a week earlier. American Jewel, who is undefeated in five starts, will start the Shes A Great Lady from Post 5 with driver Tim Tetrick. Romantic Moment, who has won two of her four races, will start from Post 2 with driver Marcus Johansson. Both fillies are owned by Brittany Farms.
“I was very happy with both of them,” Takter said. “American Jewel pretty much stands out right now. To go (1:) 50.3 with a (:) 26.4 last quarter, what more can you say about a two-year-old pacing filly doing that? She’s just a fantastic horse. And Romantic Moment keeps on surprising me. She’s getting better and better. Her last two starts have been fantastic and she’s really a serious filly also.”
Joining those two in the final from the Takter Stable is Yummy Sushi, who finished fourth in the elim won by American Jewel. Winless in six starts, she will race from Post 3 with driver Yannick Gingras.
“She finished with a lot of pace,” Takter said. “She had a little problem in the stretch to find room, but she’s definitely one that has a shot to pick up a nice cheque.”
Takter won the Shes A Great Lady in 2004 with Cabrini Hanover, who set the stakes record of 1:51 at Woodbine Racetrack.
Simply Business heads to the million-dollar Metro final off his third-place finish in an elimination won by D Terminata in 1:51.2. Simply Business, who was second to Major Bombay in the Woodrow Wilson on August 20 at the Meadowlands, was beaten by one and a quarter lengths. He drew Post 9 for the final and will have Ron Pierce in the sulky. Major Bombay, who finished between D Terminata and Simply Business in the Metro elim, drew Post 10 on the extreme outside of the starting gate.
“I think he’s a really special colt,” Takter said about Simply Business, who has won two of five races. “He’s not really aware of what’s going on with the game yet. Mentally, he has no clue, but the horse has fantastic ability. I can see him having a great race, even with Post 9.”
In the Simcoe divisions, Takter hopes to see improvement from Pastor Stephen and Leader Of The Gang as they prepare for the Canadian Trotting Classic.
Pastor Stephen is trying to regain the form which saw him win multiple stakes in 2010 on his way to being named the Dan Patch Award recipient as best two-year-old male trotter. This year, he has won three of nine races while battling a virus through the summer.
Mohawk might be the place for Pastor Stephen to get well. He was 3-for-3 at the track last season, including a win in the William Wellwood Memorial. He will start his Simcoe division from Post 5 with driver Ron Pierce. The race also includes Blue Porsche, who was Canada’s top two-year-old in 2010.
“Pastor Stephen seems to be getting a little better,” Takter said. “His blood work improved this week, which is a good sign that things are heading in the right direction. This race is going to be a little bit of a test for the Canadian Trotting Classic coming up. I don’t expect him to be at a hundred per cent on Saturday, but hopefully by the time the Canadian Trotting Classic comes up I’m going to have Pastor Stephen back to where he’s supposed to be.”
Leader Of The Gang has one win in seven races this year, but it came in the Yonkers Trot. Since then, he went off stride in a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands and the Colonial Stakes at Harrah’s Chester. He got post three for his Simcoe start.
“He felt very good warming up at Chester in his last start,” Takter said. “Unfortunately he had a bad post (eight) and got a little 'rammy' and made a break. He trained back here super. I’m going to find out how he feels in the Simcoe; I’m going to drive him myself and see what’s bothering him because normally he’s not the kind of horse to make breaks. He seems like he’s in good form so we’ll see on Saturday where he is.”
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.
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This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit ustrotting.com.
I like to keep my money
I like to keep my money close to my vest. After looking at the Sat. entries, a lot of the action for longshot players will be in Race 11.
I would take Whiskey Tax in an exactor onto #3 Leader of the Gang.
Randy Waples is back with Whiskey Tax, and trainer Takter will steer Leader of the Gang.
If you don't like Exotics, simply repeat my play from the Hambletonian--Whiskey Tax to place.
There is a lot of money in these races on Sat. at Mohawk.Perhaps you may find some gold nuggets, but the above is the best what I could come up with on the whole card.