Takter under the radar with Adios hopeful Blood Line
July 27, 2017,by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows
Washington, PA — As a Hall of Fame, high-profile trainer, it’s hard for Jimmy Takter to fly under the radar. Yet that’s exactly what he’s done with Blood Line, who’ll compete in Saturday’s $400,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows. Blood Line goes from post eight, with Mark MacDonald at the helm.
The final anchors a blockbuster Adios Day card that features six Grand Circuit stakes. First post is noon while the Adios goes as race 11 at approximately 4 p.m.
Takter won the Adios with Vintage Master (2009) and again with Sunfire Blue Chip (2013). For all that, Blood Line, a homebred son of Somebeachsomewhere-Blood Diamond for Diamond Creek Racing, was dismissed at 13-1 in his Adios elimination. After leaving for early position, he shot the Lightning Lane and missed upsetting heavily favored Huntsville by a neck.
Lisa photo
Blood Line has banked $178,754 in his career.
Blood Line has won only once this year — a Pennsylvania Sires Stake split at Harrah’s Philadelphia — but finished second to Huntsville in a Meadowlands Pace elimination before breaking stride in the final.
“I don’t know what happened that day, but he wasn’t far off there,” Takter said. “He’s a good horse, and if he steps up, he’ll be a pretty solid horse.”
Takter knows that Blood Line, 12-1 in the morning line, must step it up now if he’s to defeat Fear The Dragon and Huntsville, the No. 1- and No. 2-rated Standardbreds in North America.
“If those two horses are in 100 percent form, without a doubt, they’re a little better,” he acknowledged. “But horses are flesh and blood. They can take so much and after a while, some of them go a little backwards.”
He also knows that Blood Line’s upset chances took a blow when he drew outside.
“If you have to have post eight, The Meadows is probably the best place to draw it because of the slanted starting gate,” he said. “This horse has tremendous gate speed; I’m sure Mark will give him a try and leave with him. But if he goes a :26 quarter, he’ll pay for it at the end of the mile.”
Takter indicated Blood Line is eligible for most of the late-season stakes, including the Little Brown Jug.
Following is the Adios field with drivers, trainers and morning line.
1. RJP-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-9/2
2. Highalator-Victor Kirby-Jeffrey Long-20/1
3. Fear The Dragon-David Miller-Brian Brown-2/1
4. Huntsville-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker-9/5
5. Eddard Hanover-Brett Miller-Ron Burke-20/1
6. Western Hill-Dave Palone-Tony Alagna-8/1
7. Miso Fast-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-15/1
8. Blood Line-Mark MacDonald-Jimmy Takter-12/1
9. Hurricane Beach-Dan Dube-Luc Blais-15/1
- Huntsville, Fear The Dragon win Adios elims despite tough trips (Saturday, July 22, 2017)
Huntsville and Fear The Dragon had to work much harder in the slop than overwhelming favorites would like, yet each was game enough Saturday (July 22) to capture an elimination of the 51st edition of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.
- Top two in Poll to duel in Adios (Tuesday, July 25, 2017)
It will be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Saturday’s Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows. Fear The Dragon and Huntsville were the only horses in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll Top 10 in action last week and each won his Adios elimination to set up Saturday’s showdown in western Pennsylvania.
- Huntsville gets post four, Fear The Dragon post three for $400,000 Adios final (Tuesday, July 25, 2017)
Huntsville, the 9-5 morning line favorite, will leave from post four while Fear The Dragon, the 2-1 second choice, goes from post three in Saturday’s $400,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.
- Trio of tracks to host Grand Circuit action this week (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)
Grand Circuit action kicks off this Friday (July 28) at Plainridge Park with the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot for older trotters.
- Trogdon on Fear The Dragon: “It’s been quite a thrill with him” (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)
When a teenage Bruce Trogdon first began attending the Adios more than four decades ago, he never imagined he would someday own a horse in the race. On Saturday, he will. But even if it never happened, the Adios would always be special to him. That’s because 41 years ago, Trogdon got engaged to his wife Sabrina there. “All this, it’s a pretty neat situation,” said Trogdon, who will return Saturday to The Meadows with Sabrina for the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids and watch Fear The Dragon — the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing’s weekly poll — compete in the $400,000 race for 3-year-old pacers. “We’re looking forward to it.”