Pocono: Tactical Landing, Six Pack deliver in Crown elims for three-year-old male trotters

A rematch of the Kentucky Futurity final was secured on Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs when the elimination winners from that event, Tactical Landing and Six Pack, captured a pair of $25,000 elimination rounds for sophomore male trotters for the Breeders Crown.

First it was Tactical Landing making his first pari-mutuel start of his brief racing career over a five-eighths mile track. The full brother to former champion Mission Brief was driven for the first time by Brian Sears, and the recent International Trot-winning driver showed the poise that has made him one of the sport's best big money drivers.

With Met's Hall seizing control during an early rainstorm Sears took back with Tactical Landing and watched the action develop. Met's Hall grabbed a 26 4/5 opener but was able to get a 55-second half. That fraction figured to make things difficult, but Sears had moved Tactical Landing before the three-eighths. He advanced smoothly without cover on the rim, was in striking distance at the half, and gaining as Met's Hall blitzed down the backstretch, hitting three-quarters in 1:23 1/5.

Sears sat with confidence as Miller went to work on Met's Hall, and Tactical Landing strode powerfully to the front, drawing off in 1:52 2/5. Met's Hall salvaged second, with Jula Downton and Evaluate also reaching the final.

Sent off a the 4-5 favorite, Tactical Landing won for the seventh time in a dozen starts for the Tactical Landing Stable and trainer Jimmy Takter.

The second division saw Futurity champion Six Pack pretty much scare off the competition from the pole position. Ake Svanstedt had control in a 28-second opener and found no one interested in challenging as he walked to the half in 57 seconds. Six Pack picked up the pace on the backside with only Run Director making a token advance, followed by Fiftydallarbill and Crystal Fashion, as the field of six chased without much response.

Six Pack looked to get a little sleepy on the final turn, with Run Director advancing, but once given his marching orders by Svanstedt Six Pack quickly opened ground past the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters.

Six Pack scored in 1:53 3/5 as Fiftydallarbill rallied late for second over Run Director, with Crystal Fashion fourth and Wolfgang fifth and also qualifying for the final.

Sent off at 3-10, Six Pack paid $2.60 while winning for the tenth time in 13 seasonal starts. He's trained by Svanstedt as well for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC., Stall Kalmar and Lars Berg.
"He's very lazy," said Svanstedt of the lapses during the race of Six Pack. "He looked tired in the end, but I don't think he was."

The draw for the $500,000 Breeders Crown sophomore male trot shook out in post order this way: Run Director, Evaluate, Fiftydallarbill, Tactical Landing, Six Pack, Jula Downton, Crystal Fashion, Met's Hall and Wolfgang.