Karl, Private Access win Crown elims for 2-year-old male trotters
by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
ANDERSON, Ind. — Karl and Yannick Gingras regained winning form in a powerhouse performance, capturing the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for juvenile trotting colts and geldings, on Thursday night (Oct. 19) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, in 1:54 over a track labeled sloppy.
Karl started from post one and Gingras was not concerned with early speed, allowing Wild Ticket and Brian Sears to take control as the gates unfolded. Mr Bluebird and Åke Svanstedt also left and found a spot in the pocket with Dashing Danny spotted third into the first turn.
With an opening quarter cut in :28.1 for Wild Ticket, Karl and Gingras made an extended move to the lead and arrived there halfway home in :57.2. As the 1-10 betting choice, Karl rolled through three-quarters in 1:26 and then took off from the field as expected, rolling home in :28 to win for the sixth time in seven career starts for trainer and co-owner Nancy Takter. Mr Bluebird rallied to be a clear second with Greenspan unleashing a powerful stretch kick and closing in for third. Dashing Danny nailed the fourth spot right on the wire with early pacesetter Wild Ticket fading to fifth.
Bred by Crawford Farms, Karl, a son of Tactical Landing from the R C Royalty-sired dam Avalicious, is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms and Bender Sweden Inc.
“He was super today,” said Nancy Takter in the winner’s circle. “I’m looking forward to next week.”
As the prohibitive public choice, Karl returned $2.20 to win.
The second $25,000 Crown elimination saw the tables turn on the heavy favorite with the second longest shot in the field, Private Access and Louis-Philippe Roy, scoring a 19-1 upset for just his second win of the year in a 1:54.4 clocking.
Trained by Luc Blais for Determination, Private Access, a son of Muscle Hill, had not raced competitively since Sept. 14 in the Champlain Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he made a break.
Roy had Private Access out quickly moving to the front as the gate opened and putting Situationship in the pocket behind him. Following an opening fraction of :27.2, Scott Zeron moved Dame Good Time to the lead shortly before the half with Roy willing to sit the pocket. The complexion changed following the :57.3 opening half when Dame Good Time made a miscue, putting Private Access back in control.
Tim Tetrick, with 1-5 favorite Security Protected, moved midway on the final turn but struggled to reach the leader as the pace accelerated through a :29 third quarter. Roy looked confident in mid-stretch as Private Access pulled clear of the outside challengers, but Situationship and driver Åke Svanstedt had room to the inside and appeared to be threatening in mid-stretch. Private Access recognized his rival and fought on bravely to the wire to keep him at bay through a :28.1 final quarter. Situationship settled for second with Security Protected and Musclefantastic third and fourth across the wire and into the final. Fifth-place finisher Magic Hill lacked the funds necessary to advance, beaten by Wild Ticket, who finished fifth in the first elimination.
Bred by Fair Winds Farms Inc., Private Access was a $250,000 yearling purchased from last year’s Harrisburg Sale.
“We knew he had a lot of talent,” said Roy in the winner’s circle. “He was making stupid breaks.”
As to the challenge in the homestretch, “He still had plenty of trot, but I didn’t want to pull the plugs.”
Both Private Access and Karl will draw for the inside five positions for the final with T C I, already in the final by way of his victory in the Peter Haughton, also granted top-five placement. Completing the field for the Breeders Crown final are: Mr Bluebird, Greenspan, Dashing Danny, Wild Ticket, Situationship, Security Protected and Musclefantastic.
