by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA
“He’ll love it,”is what trainer/co-owner Bib Roberts had to say about Great George Two’s first time racing in heats in Saturday’s $525,000 World Trotting Derby. The colt is the 7-2 third choice from post two with Roberts’ son, Jonathan driving. “I’ve been training him doubleheaders to get ready for this and I haven’t decided if I’m going to warm him up one trip or two (before Saturday’s race),” says Roberts, who drove 14 hours in the truck and trailer from Maryland with his wife, Sharon.
In his last eight starts, “George” has won every race in which he did not make a break at the start and Roberts thinks he may have found the answer to the colt’s miscues at the starting gate. “I tried goggles with a screen over the eyes. He wore those in his last start (a stakes record 1:52.3 win the Zweig Memorial at the New York State Fair in Syracuse on August 21), so hopefully he’s over that,” commented Roberts, as George stood in cross ties, occasionally tossing his head up and to the left. “That’s his one bad habit and he doesn’t do it on the track, so I guess I can put up with it. I’ve had vets look at him and they said he sees fine. I think it’s between his ears,” Roberts laughed. George also likes his mealtimes and gets a full meal four times a day, 6 am, 11:30 am, 4:00 and a bedtime snack at about 9 pm.
TAKTER TAKES TWO TO TROT
USTA Photo
Jimmy Takter gives World Trotting Derby contender Keaton Zet some exercise on Friday morning at the Du Quoin (Illinois) State Fair. Keaton Zet is 15-1 from post six in Saturday’s $525,000 World Trotting Derby.
Jimmy Takter returns to the World Trotting Derby as the defending trainer. Last year, Tom Ridge set three world records with his straight heat win in the World Trotting Derby, the fastest of them in 1:50.2. “I was hoping to get some better posts,” Takter said, referring to the fifth post drawn by Muscle Memory and the six drawn by Keaton Zet. “They’re both outside. Hopefully, Hammer (Roger Hammer, trainer/driver of the favorite Vivid Photo, will put the hammer down and we can follow.”
Takter will take the drive on Muscle Memory and his son-in-law Marcus Johansson will take the drive on Keaton Zet. “I’ve been driving him all along,” Takter said. “Brian Sears was supposed to drive Keaton Zet, but he didn’t want to take the chance of missing the plane to Canada (for the Breeder Crown races for older horses on Saturday in Toronto.
SATURDAY ANNIVERSARY DAY FOR DUQUOIN
This Saturday, September 4, marks 60 years to the day that harness races were first held on the DuQuoin State Fair tracks. The first race the first day was won by a horse named Blue Jacket.
