Harness: Engblom changes focus to a more well-rounded operation

When trainer Per Engblom sent out two winners on the pacing side last Saturday at the Meadowlands, it suggested a new beginning of sorts. The 4-year-old As Always hasn't always been a reliable kind, but more recently under Engblom's care, he has stepped up his game so much that he has forced his ownership to reconsider whether to sell the son of Always B Miki or not in the coming mixed sale.

"He's a big horse that kept hitting the bike from an early age," said Engblom of As Always. "I think he's finally over that, and we're seeing what he can do."

For Engblom, who now trains 40-head at Magical Acres, the January victories mark a major change in his stable and his style. Last year, it wasn't until April that he won his first race of the year, but with his recent independence Engblom will be racing about five horses over the winter to complement his stable.

"We've cut back on yearlings," said Engblom, referring to just six in the stable.

Despite the small number, there figures to be plenty of power there, considering a $500,000 Walner-sired sister to Mission Brief and Tactical Landing is among the sextet in training.

Engblom cut his teeth in North America working as the second trainer for the powerful Jimmy Takter stable. Three years ago when Takter announced his retirement, Engblom inherited many of Takter's owners, their subsequent yearlings and coming 3-year-olds. Over the next few years, most of those owners shifted away from Engblom and focused on Nancy Takter's stable. A move was necessary and Engblom is now well-positioned to make a name for himself and advance on his own merits, something he feels quite confident about.

Gone from his 2022 stable is Beads, a fast but sometimes erratic trotter that Engblom managed incredibly well over the years.

"He's in Norway," Engblom said with a firm understanding what the move represents to the overall earning potential of his stable. "I've got Sermon coming back for his 5-year-old year. He finished fourth in the Breeders Crown and TVG last year."

Indeed, Sermon is certainly poised for a breakout season given how things have shifted in the Open ranks. The son of Muscle Hill is perhaps a perfect example of how Engblom treats his horses and allows them to develop over time. Just a $4K earner as a 2-year-old in 2019, Sermon made a dozen starts as a sophomore with near $100K in the bank and then began to find his groove in 2021, earning nearly $150K while working his way up the class ladder. It seems quite similar to the path that As Always has traveled, showing steady progress through his 3-year-old campaign in 2021, and following Saturday's 1:50 1/5 victory, appearing on his way to move up the class ladder. But Engblom is not necessarily counting on the fact that As Always, entered in the sixth race at the Meadowlands on Saturday, will remain in his stable with Monday's Meadowlands Mixed Sale fast approaching.

"Coming off that win they can get very good money for him," said Engblom, obviously looking at the larger picture for the owners who pay the bills.

In addition to Sermon, Engblom is excited to have Weslynn Quest returning for her 6-year-old season. A top campaigner against Open trotting mares last year that often found herself chasing Manchego, Atlanta and When Dovescry, Weslynn Quest established the world record for trotting mares over a half-mile track with her scintillating 1:50 4/5 effort at Northfield Park last August.

While Sermon and Weslynn Quest won't start until later in the season, Engblom's winter racing stable will see Hayek, a third-place finisher last Saturday night at the Meadowlands, racing at a high level on the local scene.

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"I got him midway through last year," said Engblom of the son of E L Titan. "He's always had high speed but is a little goofy. He'd get a little high-strung, and we've figured out a way to keep him calm."

Driver Jason Bartlett had Hayek racing inside this past Saturday and needed most of the stretch to find room with the now-5-year-old who trotted strongly to the finish. Hayek moves to Yonkers on Friday night to race in the $39,000 Open for Engblom, over a track he's now comfortable with.

"He finished a good second behind Amigo Volo in the world record mile," said Engblom of Hayek, who could be on his way to a breakout season in 2022.

While babies may be in short supply for Engblom this year, he enters the campaign with some potential power on the pacing side, as well as high hopes on the trotting side. In Smuggle Tina, a daughter of Captaintreacherous, the conditioner is hoping to see her improvement continue.

"She finished fourth in the Three Diamonds," said Engblom of the filly that stayed below the radar through much of the year but did finish second in the Eternal Camnation at Woodbine Mohawk Park and captured a division of the Simpson in October at Harrah's Philadelphia. Smuggle Tina has interesting bloodlines, hailing from a maternal family that the late Bob Key was extremely loyal to. Her fifth dam, Valentina, was a premier filly for Key back in 1985 and earned over $700K lifetime while facing the likes of champion Follow My Star.

On the trotting side, Engblom's expertise for sure, there is a high ceiling for the Muscle Hill-sired Thewinnertakeitall, a $150,000 Harrisburg purchase from the 2020 auction that was brought along slowly last year by design.

"He won his last two starts at Harrah's [Philadelphia]," said Engblom. "We've got him staked to everything this year."

Engblom, as always, seems focused on the details, trying to get the best out of every horse within his care. For the last three years he's been considered by many to be an understudy to the somewhat retired Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter. Now completely on his own, you get the feeling that Engblom's group is ready to tackle all comers and could be harness racing's version of Kirby Smart, who this past Monday led Georgia to the national college football title, defeating his former boss Nick Saban in the process.