by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Lexington, KY — Pinkman won Saturday’s $527,000 Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-old trotters at The Red Mile, biding his time through the early portions of the race before taking the lead in the stretch and posting a 1-1/4 length victory over longshot Crescent Fashion in 1:51.2. French Laundry finished third.

The triumph gave trainer Jimmy Takter a sweep of the Kentucky Futurity and the Kentucky Filly Futurity for 3-year-old female trotters. Wild Honey, with John Campbell in the sulky, upset 1-9 favorite Mission Brief in the Kentucky Filly Futurity by three-quarters of a length in 1:50.4.

Pinkman rallied in the stretch to win the Kentucky Futurity in a time of 1:51.2.

Pinkman’s win in the Kentucky Futurity gave the gelding two jewels of the Trotting Triple Crown. In August, Pinkman captured the first jewel, the Hambletonian Stakes, at the Meadowlands. Habitat, who won the second jewel, the Yonkers Trot, was not entered in the Futurity. Pinkman is the 20th horse to win two legs of the Trotting Triple Crown, a feat most recently accomplished just last year by Takter’s Nuncio.

“He’s game,” winning driver Yannick Gingras said about Pinkman. “He always puts up a 100 percent effort. He’s a winner and he wants to get it done.”

Pinkman, who started from post nine, raced in third place for nearly three-quarters of a mile before challenging leader Crazy Wow on the final turn. He pulled away from the field in the stretch before holding off Crescent Fashion to win the 123rd edition of the Kentucky Futurity. Muscle Diamond followed French Laundry, with Crazy Wow finishing fifth.

“He’s been an outstanding horse, just a fantastic horse, and I’m so proud of him,” Takter said about Pinkman. “(The Breeders Crown) is his next stop.”

Pinkman, sent off at 2-1 odds, paid $6.20 to win.

USTA/Mark Hall photos

Pinkman’s connections celebrate in the winner’s circle.

A gelding by Explosive Matter out of the mare Margie Seelster, Pinkman has won 11 of 15 races this year and earned $1.75 million. His other victories include the $532,000 Canadian Trotting Classic, $1 million Hambletonian, $500,000 Beal Memorial, and $370,000 Zweig Memorial.

Pinkman is owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland, and Herb Liverman. For his career, Pinkman has won 17 of 23 starts and $2.31 million.

Takter had five of the 10 horses in the Futurity, with French Laundry, The Bank, Uncle Lasse, and Canepa Hanover joining Pinkman in the field. He also had four horses in the Kentucky Filly Futurity.

“I’ve got a great staff and good people behind me and great owners,” Takter said. “That makes it a heck of a lot easier.”