Monday, May 25, 2015
Father Patrick Returns With a Bang, Beats
“Magician”
By Bill Finley
CHESTER, Pa–Jimmy Takter said it again yesterday,
about 45 minutes before the Maxie Lee at Chester. Father
Patrick was
unequivocally the
best horse has ever
trained, a huge
statement
considering the
plethora of
superstars that
have been under
his care since he
came from his
native Sweden. But
A victorious Father Patrick heads
he knew that it was
back to the winner’s circle yesterday time for Father
after winning the Maxie Lee
Patrick, who was
very good, but not
exactly perfect, last year, to back up those words on the
racetrack. There could not be any excuses, not when a
person of Takter’s stature had said what he has said.
The Maxie Lee would be the perfect opportunity for the
hyped horse to live up to the hype. Not only was it his first
start of the year, not only would it come while he was also
busy breeding, but the field included the toughest opponent
in the sport in the rejuvenated Bee A Magician. This was a
big test. And Father Patrick got an A plus.
(To watch the Maxie Lee click here)
Driven by Yannick Gingras, Father Patrick could not have
looked better. He beat Bee A Magician handily, winning by
two lengths in 1:52.1. At 7-5, he was the second choice in
the wagering. Bee A Magician was 4-5.
“He’s one of a kind,” Takter said. “I had been saying all
through his three-year-old season that this is best horse I
ever trained, and that includes Moni Maker. I’ve been
fortunate to be around a lot of great horses but there’s
something about this horse. He’s just perfect. If everything
stays perfect I think he is going to be very dominant this
year.”
On paper, Bee A Magician was obviously the horse to
beat. After a somewhat disappointing 4-year-old campaign
the 2013 Horse of the Year had come roaring back this
year. She came into the race yesterday at 3 for 3 on the
year, with all her wins coming against males, including a
victory in the Cutler at the Meadowlands.
Having drawn the three post, inside of Father Patrick (No.
5), Brian Sears tried to get first jump on his a male rival.
After tussling briefly with Lindy’s Tru Grit, Bee A Magician
had the lead on the first turn, but Gingras wasn’t content to
let her stay there. He moved quickly and assumed the lead
and control as the field crossed the wire the first time.
“When that happened I figured we were racing for
second,” Bee A Magician’s trainer Nifty Norman said. “The
front end holds up here so good.”
As the field turned into the stretch for the final time, Bee
A Magician had her chance as Sears got her to the outside
and took aim on Father Patrick. She simply couldn’t make
up any ground in a second-best effort. Lindy’s Tru Grit was
third.
“He did it so easy too,” Gingras said. “The earplugs are
still in; I never really called on him. I let him trot the last
eighth (of a mile). Bee A Magician got the right trip, but with
those kinds of fractions maybe I got a little bit of a jump on
her. But she’s a great horse and I was definitely worried
around the turn when Brian pulled because I knew she
would give me a run. But he just showed what kind of horse
he is.”
For the Father Patrick Stable, the group that owns the son
of Cantab Hall, the victory was more rewarding than just
any normal win. The group had taken a big chance when
deciding to breed Father Patrick and also keep him in
training with his 4-year-old racing season in mind. They
were setting themselves up for criticism and, potentially, a
financial setback, if Father Patrick underperformed this
year.
“Yes, I was anxious before the start of the race,” said coowner Adam Bowden. “I’m nervous by nature. Everybody
was confident all along that he could do it but until he
actually does it on the track you’re nervous. This set our
minds at ease a little bit.”
“He is just amazing,” Takter said. “He was bred three
times this week. I was a little worried because it was three
times and I tried to get Adam to go down to two, but he had
quite a few mares to cover this week. He doesn’t seem to
mind it. It’s the individual. I know horses that wouldn’t do it
at all. You start breeding them and they lose all interest in
racing. In his case it hasn’t been a negative at all. It was
something I thought of and I told Adam about it and he
thought it was a great idea. All the partners agreed upon it.
So far so good.”
In defeat, Bee A Magician did nothing to diminish her
reputation. She just ran into a male horse who is obviously
very good.
“It was just way the race went,” Norman said. “He had no
choice but to let him go. Everybody wants to be on the front
here and only one horse could be on front. Honestly, I am
just happy to get out of here with her safe. This track is
horrendous. I’m just glad to get out of here in one piece.”
Father Patrick’s next start will be in the June 6 Graduate
at the Meadowlands.
Dan Patch Award winner Classic Martine lost contact with
HarnessRacingUpdate.com
• 5/25/15 PAGE 2 of 4
the field and finished last. Trainer Chris Oakes reported
that his mare suffered from an atrial fibrillation during the
race.
Takter picked up another win on the card in the Jerry
Taylor Invitational with Great Vintage. Driven by Dave
Miller, the 7-year-old son of American Ideal closed from
fifth to win by three-quarters of a length over Dancin
Yankee in 1:50.2
Takter explained afterward that the horse had been
retired and sent to stud but when he had trouble attracting
a decent sized book of mares the decision was made to
bring him back to the races. Like Father Patrick, he bred
mares earlier in the week.
“He didn’t have a lot of mares booked so I said screw it,
let’s bring him back,” Takter said. “He had a long break
because he got hurt in fall last year. I thought he was done,
but he came back stronger and better.”
Great Vintage is now 2 for 2 on the year.
“This horse, he was a really good 2 year old,” Takter said.
“We turned him out and he got hurt in the paddock. He
didn’t come back good as a 3 year old. Had a bad knee
injury and had so so season. But he raced good after that.
He is a good horse. He’s a brother to Vintage Master so he
has a license to be good.”
The Betsy Ross for older female pacers went to the
Indiana-bred Radar Contact, who led every step of the way
to win by a neck over Anndrovette. John Campbell was the
winning driver for trainer Noel Daley. Share this story.
Maven Draws Post Four for Elitlopp Elim
Maven was assigned post four for her elimination race
Sunday for the Elitlopp in Solvalla, Sweden. The Jimmy
Takter-trained mare will come into the race off a second
place finish Saturday in the H.K.H. Prins Daniels lopp at
Gävle, Sweden and drew into the second of two elims.
"I am happy with her spot," Takter said. "One or two
would have been ideal but I'm glad she's not going to be
any further outside than she is. I feel good about it. She
raced tremendous (Saturday)."
The other American entrant, Wind Of the North, was not
as fortunate. The Daryl Bier-trained horse drew into the first
elim and got stuck with the eight post. Nuncio, who was
trained by Takter last year before heading to Sweden to
race for Stefan Melander, also drew into the first elim and
was assigned the seven post. The top four finishers from
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• 5/25/15 PAGE 3 of 4
each elimination will return for the finals later on the same
afternoon.
Takter said he will leave for Sweden Wednesday. His
brother, Johnny, will do the driving.
"The unfortunate thing with her is that she doesn't have
that ten-15 feet gate speed like they have over there,"
Takter said. "That could get her in trouble. She is in form to
win it, absolutely. I really think she is in great form. I flew
over a couple weeks ago prior to the Copenhagen Cup and
she was really good. The feedback I got from Saturday's
race was that she was very good. We have a good shot
and I am very excited."
Monday at Tioga Downs
5th Race. $37,500, Trot. Graduate Series
Post Horse
Sire
Trainer/Driver
1 Datsyuk
Explosive Matter
Norris/Norris
2 Sumatra
Muscles Yankee
Fanning/D Miller
3 Gural Hanover
Crazed
Burke/Morrill
4 Shake It Cerry
Donato Hanover
Takter/Takter
5 DD’s Hitman
Donato Hanover
Svanstedt/Svanstedt
th
7 Race. $37,500, Trot. Graduate Series
Post Horse
Sire
Trainer/Driver
1 Opulent Yankee
Muscles Yankee
J Miller/A Miller
2 Madewell Hanover Yankee Glide
Ryder/Ryder
3 Muscle Network
Muscle Hill
O’Sullivan/D Miller
4 Uva Hnaover
Cantab Hall
Toscano/Tetrick
5 Resolve
Muscle Hill
Svanstedt/Svanstedt
6 Rompaway Galaxy Rompaway Wally
Harmon/Campbell
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Check out our archive at www.harnessracingupdate.com
9th Race. $37,500, Pace. Graduate
Post Horse
Sire
1 Somewhere Fancy Somebeachs’where
2 Caviart Luca
Somebeachs’where
3 Doo Wop Hanover Rocknroll Hanover
4 Sweet Rock
Rocknroll Hanover
5 Rock Out
Rocknroll Hanover
6 Mattamerican
Allamerican Native
7 Lyonssomewhere Somebeachs’where
Series
Trainer/Driver
Toscano/Tetrick
Daley/McCarthy
Elliott/Campbell
W Givens/D Miller
Elliott/Zeron
Parker/M MacDonald
J Miller/A Miller
11th Race. $37,500, Pace. Graduate Series
Post Horse
Sire
Trainer/Driver
1 Beat the Drum
Tell All
Lind/D Miller
2 Rockeyed Optimist Rocknroll Hanover
Elliott/Tetrick
3 Three Of Clubs
Mach Three
McNair/Sears
4 Somesizesomestyle Somebeachs’where
Remmen/B Miller
5 Bushwacker
Rocknroll Hanover
Ryder/Morrill
6 Limelight Beach
Somebeachs’where
Burke/Gingras
For Trackmaster pps for the Graduate Races click here.
For all other pps go to www.trackmaster.com
Sunday’s Results
1, Phl, $25,000, P, Fillies & Mares Winners Over $25,000
Lifetime, 26.3, 54.4, 1:22.4, 1:51.0, FT
Valerya (m, 7, Dream Away--Veneer, by Goalie Jeff)
O-Foulk Stables Inc. B-Alvin W Stafford. T-Trish Foulk.
D-Corey Callahan, $12,500, Lifetime Record: 61-22-11-7,
$172,662
To view replay click here
4, Phl, $25,000, P, Winners Over $25,000 Lifetime, 27.2,
56.1, 1:23.0, 1:50.0, FT
Luck Be Withyou (h, 4, Western Ideal--Trim Hanover, by
Camluck), $77,000 2012 LEX-SEL O-John H Craig, CA.
B-Brittany Farms. T-Chris Oakes. D-Geo. Napolitano Jr,
$12,500, Lifetime Record: 33-12-5-2, $718,176
To view replay click here
6, Phl, $25,000, T, Winners Over $25,000 Lifetime, 28.0,
57.2, 1:25.4, 1:54.0, FT
Tag Up And Go (g, 5, Angus Hall--Tagapine, by
Tagliabue), $5,000 2011 CAN-YS O-J L Sadowsky LLC.
B-Tri Star Farms LTD, CA. T-Robert Bresnahan Jr. D-Corey
Callahan, $12,500, Lifetime Record: 72-17-10-10, $267,365
To view replay click here
8, Phl, $22,000, P, NW $20,000 in Last 5 Starts AE: NW 9
Ext. PM Races or $90,000 Lifetime, 26.3, 54.3, 1:21.4,
1:51.0, FT
Good Bet (g, 6, Bettor's Delight--Terrific Tara, by Falcon
Seelster), $22,000 2010 SHS-HBG O-Benjamin C Stafford
& Edwin J Gold. B-Flintlock Farm Inc. T-Ben Stafford.
D-David Miller, $11,000, Lifetime Record: 101-16-21-13,
$211,607
To view replay click here
10, Phl, $150,000, P, Jerry Taylor Invitational, 26.2, 55.1,
1:22.4, 1:50.2, FT
1-Great Vintage (h, 7, American Ideal--Art's Vintage, by
Artsplace), $65,000 2009 LEX-SEL O-Christina Takter &
John D Fielding, CA & Goran N Anderberg, SD & Goran C
Falk. B-Brittany Farms & Brian P Monieson Revtrust.
T-Jimmy Takter. D-David Miller, $75,000, Lifetime Record:
95-28-18-9, $793,108
HarnessRacingUpdate.com
• 5/25/15 PAGE 4 of 4
Yagonnakissmeornot, Jerseylicious, Sayitall Bb
Finish Order: Modern Legend, Doctor Butch,
Domethatagain, Sapphire City, Clear Vision
To view replay click here
12, Phl, $150,000, T, Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational, 27.1,
55.4, 1:24.2, 1:52.1, FT
1-Father Patrick (h, 4, Cantab Hall--Gala Dream, by
Enjoy Lavec), $105,000 2012 LEX-SEL O-Father Patrick
Stable. B-Brittany Farms. T-Jimmy Takter. D-Yannick
Gingras, $75,000, Lifetime Record: 29-23-4-0, $2,512,138
2-Bee A Magician (m, 5, Kadabra--Beehive, by Balanced
Image), $90,000 2011 SHS-HBG O-Melvin Hartman, CA &
Herb A Liverman & David H Mc Duffee. B-White Birch
Farm. T-R. Nifty Norman. D-Brian Sears, $37,500
3-Lindy's Tru Grit (h, 5, Cantab Hall--True Diva, by Valley
Victory) O-Lindy Racing Stable & Robert A Rudolph.
B-Lindy Racing Stable. T-Julie Miller. D-Andy Miller,
$18,000
Calls: T, 1Q, 1H, 1H, 2
Finish Order: Dw's Ny Yank, Melady's Monet, Market Share,
Bourbon Bay, Classic Martine
To view replay click here
2-Dancin Yankee (h, 7, Yankee
Cruiser--Dancewiththebest, by Cambest), $17,000 2009
OH-SEL O-Baron Racing Stable & Richard M Lombardo.
B-Elizabeth C Wagner. T-Josh Green. D-Brett Miller,
$37,500
3-Mach It So (g, 5, Mach Three--Beach Dancer, by Beach
Towel) O-Bamond Racing LLC. B-Enviro Stables LTD.
T-Jeffrey Bamond Jr.. D-Tim Tetrick, $18,000
Calls: 4H, 4T, 2T, Q, T
To view replay click here
11, Phl, $150,000, P, Betsy Ross Mares Invitational, 26.2,
55.0, 1:22.4, 1:51.1, FT
1-Radar Contact (m, 7, Dontgetinmyway--Topville
Cyberwave, by Electric Yankee), $10,000 2009
HOOSIER O-Charles Stillings & Dean E Ehrgott. B-Merle E
Yoder. T-Noel Daley. D-John Campbell, $75,000, Lifetime
Record: 97-31-19-15, $877,006
2-Anndrovette (m, 8, Riverboat King--Easy Miss, by Big
Towner) O-Bamond Racing LLC & Joseph Davino.
B-Golden Touch Stable. T-Jeffrey Bamond Jr.. D-Tim
Tetrick, $37,500
3-Ooh Bad Shark (m, 7, Cam's Card Shark--Ooh Bad Girl,
by Badlands Hanover) O-Donna M Fedorak & William M
Wiggins. B-Donna M Fedorak & William M Wiggins.
T-William Wiggins. D-Allan Davis, $18,000
Calls: 1Q, 1Q, 1Q, Q, NK
Finish Order: Table Talk, For The Ladies N,
13, Phl, $25,000, P, Winners Over $25,000 Lifetime, 26.4,
55.1, 1:22.2, 1:50.3, FT
Wake Up Peter (h, 5, Rocknroll Hanover--Lovely Lady,
by Die Laughing), $20,000 2011 LEX-SEL O-Bradley J
Grant, CA. B-White Birch Farm. T-Larry Remmen. D-Brett
Miller, $12,500, Lifetime Record: 69-18-12-14, $893,381
To view replay click here
© Copyright Harness Racing Update.
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Information as to the races, race results and earnings was
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