Breeders Crown: Tactical Landing trounces field in 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot final

The track at Mohegan Sun Pocono may have been sloppy but the effort from Tactical Landing was pretty neat as he took the $500,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot in a speedy 1:52 1/5.

Brian Sears got Tactical Landing away second as Met’s Hall took the field to the quarter in 27 1/5, but he cruised to the front en route to the 55 4/5 half-mile marker. Tactical Landing hit three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and drew off from Met’s Hall and Crystal Fashion in the stretch, winning by open lengths. Met’s Hall and Crystal Fashion were second and third, respectively. Run Director (Sylvain Filion) and Jula Downton (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the top five.

The presumptive favorite, Six Pack, was scratched from the race due to sickness.

"You've still got to be careful driving trotters," Sears said in regards to the way Tactical Landing won. "Jimmy Takter's done a fabulous job with him. I'm very happy to get hooked back up with this horse again. I qualified a few times when he was a 2-year-old. He's always showed some talent and some class.

"I'd love to see him race (next year). I would just love to see him come back and be sounder, stronger, and smarter He's a big horse, a real big horse and I think he's only going to get better with age."

Hall of Famer Takter, who is retiring at the end of this season, trains Tactical Landing for the Tactical Landing Stable of Perrysburg, Ohio. An $800,000 yearling, the son of Muscle Hill from the Varenne mare Southwind Serena, was bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Andrea Lea Racing Stables. He has now earned $644,300 in his career as he won for the eighth time. The win was the second Crown title of the night for driver Sears.

"We got this horse in early June, and it's just remarkable what he's been able to do this year," offered Takter. "I am so proud of this horse. He's one of them, believe me, this horse is one of them. This horse, he's been battling a lot of issues and things like that. I've trained a lot of great horses, but he's definitely one of them. The way he carried himself in this weather, a 1:52 1/5 mile. I know he's by far the best 3-year-old out there. Six Pack is a good horse, it's too bad he got sick, but he would not have a shot against this horse. I know this horse is a level above anything that's been out for many years.

"I've got to talk with the owners. We've got the TVG coming up, he's going to be automatically invited to that, and that's something we've got to see how he comes out of this race. I'm pretty sure he can go with those horses too."

Takter, who is in his last Breeders Crown as trainer, was happy to add one more to the mantle with some more shots to come through the night.

"This was number 34 (Breeders Crown win), and I was very nervous going into it," he said. "This is my last year so I'd like to get at least one Crown before I get out of here.”

While Met's Hall was no match for Tactical Landing through the lane, his trainer Julie Miller was still pleased with the result.

"I’m tickled pink," she said. "When I saw the draw I was hoping maybe we could get a piece of it. I didn’t know how he was going to drive him and then with the scratch of Six Pack I knew he was going to leave out of there. I’m just really proud of the colt. He was tired but he held on for second. You have to give Tactical Landing a lot of credit, he looked super tonight.

"(Met’s Hall) had a slow start to the season and rallied strong. I’m very proud of him. He’s made a million dollars and has got a little bit of racing left. He’s going Friday to Indiana for the Carl Erskine as long as he comes out of this race OK."

Trainer Jim Campbell also discussed the third-place finish by Crystal Fashion, saying, "I’m very proud of him. He’s had a great year and given us a lot of action and made a lot of money. I’m very, very happy with him. He’s got the Matron. I don’t know if we’re going to race him in it or not. That’s all he’s got left.

"It wasn’t the ideal trip. Timmy said it didn’t go the way he was trying to get him away. Just the way it ended up, he came a tough first-over trip but he hung in there and he did well."