Meadowlands: Karl, T C I prove best in Hambletonian eliminations

The much-hoped for Hambletonian showdown between Karl and T C I is now reality as they won their respective $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations for 3-year-old male trotters on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Karl showed no ill effects off his defeat in his Stanley Dancer division earlier this month as he took the first elimination in 1:50 3/5, a lifetime-best. Situationship (Ake Svanstedt) got to the point from post ten and cut fractions of 26 3/5, 55 2/5 and 1:23 3/5 as Karl (Yannick Gingras) got going first-up from third on the final bend.

In the stretch Karl went by Situationship and maintained control to the wire, defeating Bella's Musclehill (David Miller), who had the second-over trip, by a length and a quarter. Sig Sauer (Andy McCarthy), Highland Kismet (Bob McClure) and Security Protected (Tim Tetrick) also moved on to next Saturday afternoon's $1 million final.

"I think everybody was a little hard on him. He had a really tough trip and he'd raced one time in six weeks, so he definitely needed that race. Obviously we didn't want to lose, for sure, but it happens," trainer Nancy Takter said about Karl's third-place result in the Dancer. "They're horses, they're not machines and he bounced back today. I think this is probably the best he's ever looked and Yannick said probably the best he's ever left the gate in his entire life, so he's definitely on the upswing.

"I think he's pretty versatile. I think Yannick could have probably moved him at the half if he had wanted to. They probably would have gone a little faster to the half if that would've happened, but I don't really think it matters. He's got such a strong kick, he's a strong horse and he's very quick. Either way is fine."

Nancy Takter also shares ownership of Karl, a Tactical Landing colt, with her mother Christina, breeder Crawford Farms and Black Horse Racing and Bender Sweden Inc. Karl has 14 wins, a second and a third from 16 outings, has banked $1,274,816 and paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

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T C I, who was fourth and third in his prior two outings, led all the way in winning the other elimination on the engine in 1:50 4/5, a lifetime mark. Driven by David Miller, T C I put up fractions of 27 3/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24, then kept pocket-pulling Private Access (James MacDonald) at bay in a 26 4/5 final kicker, tallying by a neck. Amazing Catch (Dexter Dunn), Secret Agent Man (Andy Miller) and Mars Hill (Todd McCarthy) were the other finalists.

"I saw Ronnie (trainer Ron Burke) a week ago and I asked him 'what'd they find out' and he said 'we can fix him.' He's just had some stomach problems, and he's really been good otherwise than that," Miller offered after the race. "I saw tonight he added a couple borium dots on his shoes. I thought that would help and I felt pretty confident.

"I was planning on getting him out of there, and if (Secret Agent Man) got out of there on the right foot or (Private Access), I would have tripped him out. He got out of there good and James was wanting to follow him, so I tried to go as easy as I could. He felt strong and then he fought him off at the end."

A Cantab Hall colt bred by Concord Stud Farm, T C I is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He has a summary of 14-2-1 from 18 appearances, has put away $1,418,507 and returned $4.80 to win as the 7-5 favorite.

The post position draw for the Hambletonian final will occur at a press conference on Tuesday.