Harrah's Hoosier Park: Tactical Approach cruises in Carl Erskine Memorial

Tactical Approach has won pretty much every big race this year, but on Friday he showed just how versatile and talented he is by going down the road in handy fashion to capture the $205,000 Carl Erskine Memorial at Harrah's Hoosier Park in a snappy 1:52 1/5 mile. The son of Tactical Landing, trained by Nancy Takter, will close out his racing career next by facing older horses in the FanDuel final at the Meadowlands on November 25.

With post eight in the field of ten, driver Scott Zeron pointed Tactical Approach for the front immediately and secured the top from Ponda Jet into the first turn. Driver Yannick Gingras had Celebrity Bambino on the pole at the outset, but, having been looped at the outset, took his horse out to follow Tactical Approach into the first turn. When Tactical
Approach kept up a lively clip, Gingras elected to tuck and follow, with the 3-5 Tactical Approach hitting the quarter in 27 seconds flat and having smooth sailing.

An outer tier had trouble developing as Andy Miller, with French Wine, waited for Gingras to pull Celebrity Bambino. While that didn't happen, Zeron had backed the half down to 55 3/5 and picked up the pace rapidly through the final turn, making French Wine's first-over grind that much more difficult.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Following three-quarters in 1:24 1/5, Tactical Approach marched home in a 28 second final quarter with a majority of the field stuck in neutral for the stretch. Only Jet Hill and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had something left and weaved through traffic to nail the place down late ahead of Ponda Jet. French Wine and Black Magic completed the top five.

Owned by Robert Leblanc, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco and JAF Racing, Tactical Approach won for the 10th time in 2023 in just 18 starts. As the favorite he returned $3.20 to win.

"I couldn't be prouder of him," said Takter following the victory.