Harrah's Hoosier Park: Takter quintet ready to rumble in Saturday Crown eliminations

The glamour boys will be in town at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Saturday night with the 3-year-old colt and gelding division for trotters and pacers having Breeders Crown eliminations on a stakes-filled 15-race program.

Trainer Nancy Takter is usually front and center in this division, and this year is no different as she'll usher in the top sophomore trotting colt – Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity champion Tactical Approach – in one of two $25,000 eliminations for trotters. On the pacing front, Takter is well-positioned to qualify as many as three for the lucrative final, with Cannibal the likely odds-on favorite in the third of three Crown trials for male sophomore pacers.

"He came out of the Kentucky Futurity great," said Takter of Tactical Approach, who drew post two in the ninth race and second of three $25,000 eliminations. "He's been a very versatile horse and has been able to overcome like good horses do."

Takter was referring to the troubled trip Tactical Approach had to overcome in the Kentucky Futurity where he rallied furiously along the pylons to capture the third jewel in trotting's Triple Crown.

Scott Zeron will once again be in the bike on Saturday as Tactical Approach only needs to finish in the top four to qualify for the final based on conditions for the Crown where the fourth-place finisher with the highest earnings advances, along with the top three from each elimination race. With eight wins in 15 starts this year, Tactical Approach has lived up to all expectations but faces a new challenge on Saturday with last year's Crown champion Gaines Hanover (post five) hoping to regain the magic that propelled him to last year's championship.

The seven-horse field also includes a pair from the Marcus Melander stable in Air Power (post three) and Kilmister (post four). Air Power appeared in position to capture the Kentucky Futurity before he broke on the final turn. Trainer Ake Svanstedt has Up Your Deo, the Yonkers Trot and Beal champion, in the lineup as well, and the son of Walner, while absent for the last 28 days, must be respected from post six.

French Wine (post six) and Celebrity Bambino (post five) were second and third, respectively, in the Futurity, and they've drawn into the same grouping, the $25,000 first elimination (race eight). Half of the six in the field will qualify, with last year's Mohawk Million winner Oh Well (post four) also a main contender.

The lone Breeders Crown supplemental entry Helpfirstedition (post four) faces five rivals in the 10th race and final Crown elimination in this division. The Indiana champion faces five others, including Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner Ghostly Casper (post two), as well as Kentucky Championship Series victor Ari Ferrari J (post six).

Three elimination races were also necessary on the sophomore colt and gelding pacing side of the Breeders Crown, with Confederate, the current leader for Horse of the Year, heading the first $25,000 division from post four. A winner in 10 of his 11 starts this year, and the fastest horse of the year by way of his 1:46 1/5 victory on September 4 at The Red Mile, Confederate faces six others, and like Tactical Approach, need only finish fourth to reach the final with his connections obviously looking to keep their winning streak alive. Takter is hopeful that she can find a way into the final with Christchurch, a son of Always B Miki that finished third behind Confederate in two major stakes this year (Meadowlands Pace and Hempt Memorial) but struggled in his most recent effort, the Bluegrass at The Red Mile on September 30.

"He had to race without Lasix, and he scoped sick after the race," said Takter, "So that's why we kept him out the following week. I trained him back this morning [Wednesday] and was very happy with him."

Takter is also hopeful that getting Dexter Dunn back in the bike could help keep Christchurch (post six) calm as the colt has been known to get a bit fired up during races.

Far from a two-colt race this division (race 11) also includes the formidable Stockade Seelster (post five), an Ontario-based colt that finished second behind Confederate when the two last met in the Hempt at Pocono Downs in August. Significant about that race was that Stockade Seelster was parked the entire mile while his rival enjoyed perfect cover behind.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Ants Marching (post two) has a solid chance to make the final if things work out in the second division (race 13), with Yannick Gingras guiding the son of Downbytheseaside.

"Yannick thought he would have been second to Confederate had he gotten out in the Tattersalls," said Takter of the October 8 race at The Red Mile. A week earlier, Ants Marching showed vicious early speed, hitting three-quarters in 1:20 in the Bluegrass and was beaten just two lengths.

Ants Marching will face a competitive group, with Jug champion It's My Show (post six) looking to rebound from his most disappointing outing of the year, a seventh-place finish in the Tattersalls. Prior to that performance It's My Show had finished first or second in 12 of 13 starts this year for trainer Linda Toscano.

Ammo, last year's upset winner in the Breeders Crown for this class, will be a longshot once again this time around, but the Sweet Lou-sired colt was obviously in need of a start when entered in the Tattersalls two weeks ago. Ammo landed post two.

Takter is hoping for a rematch for her top sophomore Cannibal with division leader Confederate in the final.

"Heading into the Meadowlands Pace he hadn't had a steady driver," said Takter when asked about the last time Cannibal faced Confederate and finished a far-back also-ran. "He's been solid every race since then."

Indeed, Cannibal has gone on to capture the Adios, Jug elimination, Bluegrass and Tattersalls since and has only lost on three occasions all year long. Despite two grueling heats in the Jug, he returned nine days later to capture the Bluegrass and then gutted out a hard-earned decision in the Tattersalls.

Cannibal (post seven) faces six rivals in the 14th race, including the recent high-priced purchase El Ray (post two), who moved into the Andrew Harris stable following his second-place finish behind Cannibal in the Tattersalls.

A single $25,000 elimination was carded in the Breeders Crown Open Trot (race 12), with both Rattle My Cage and Alrajah One taking byes into the final and nine going postward to eliminate just one horse. Takter has Pretender (post three) and feels comfortable with her chances of reaching the final.

"He was running in a bit at The Red Mile, so we changed some equipment," said Takter of Pretender, who miscued in the Allerage final on October 8 at The Red Mile. "He's raced well over the Hoosier surface."

Pretender was an invitational winner at Hoosier on September 15 in 1:51 4/5.

The Hoosier Saturday card, featuring 13 Breeders Crown eliminations, gets underway at 6:15 P.M. (EDT).