Yonkers: Kwik Talkin still undefeated after taking Sheppard final

Kwik Talkin still has yet to taste defeat in his brief career after a stakes record 1:53 4/5 tally in the $110,500 Lawrence B. Sheppard final for rookie pacing colts on Saturday night at Yonkers Raceway.

Real Rayenbow (Chuck Connor Jr.) was fast away from the gate to grab the early lead, but he would be overhauled by both favored Springsteen (Jason Bartlett) and Kwik Talkin (Jordan Stratton), who overcame post seven to take charge at the 27 3/5 opening quarter.

Kwik Talkin would go on to click off a half in 56 seconds, but then Stratton stole a soft third quarter of 29 2/5 to get to three-quarters in 1:25 2/5. That may have been the ultimate difference, as Kwik Talkin still had pace when Springsteen tried to challenge up the passing lane in the stretch, and Kwik Talkin would go on to prevail by about a length and a half. Trump Nation (Eric Goodell) was up for third, well behind the top-two finishers.

"He overcame everything, and he made the front," offered Stratton. "56 was a little faster than I wanted to go, but he got a little breather up the backside, and 28 2/5 home for a stakes record is a big mile. Through the stretch my horse paced right through the wire, and he seems to be a good horse.

"He's perfect to drive. A lot of the younger horses, they get too hot and are kind of their own worst enemy. He seems to do everything right."

Kwik Talkin, who is now four-for-four in his career to go with a bankroll of $71,090, is a son of Well Said trained by Rob Harmon for owners Robert Robinson, Jacqueline Dinelle, Scott Henry, and Lisa Henry. Kwik Talkin, who was taken out of the Standardbred Horse Sale for $18,000, is the third foal out of the Cam's Card Shark mare Kwik Dial, a half-sister to the likes of Dial Or Nodial ($1,745,040). The 9-5 second favorite, Kwik Talkin returned $5.60 to win.

"He doesn't even act like a 2-year-old; he acts like an aged horse," Harmon added. "He makes me look good and (Stratton) look better."