by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Brian Sears was a fan of See You At Peelers before he ever had the chance to drive the 3-year-old filly pacer. After guiding the undefeated star to the 17th consecutive win of her career in her Fan Hanover Stakes elimination on June 11 at Mohawk Racetrack, he is even more captivated by the sport’s top lady.

“She always impressed me, but to drive her, she was every bit as impressive as I thought she was — and more,” Sears said. “She’s all racehorse. She’s ready and willing. She enjoyed her work and knew what it was all about.”

See You At Peelers, the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing’s weekly Top 10 poll, improved to 4-for-4 this year for trainer Jimmy Takter by winning her Fan Hanover elim by 3-1/4 lengths over Idyllic in 1:50.3. The C$601,000 final is Saturday.

On June 4, See You At Peelers made history by defeating five male rivals in the Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers and on May 29 she used a world-record-equaling performance to win the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs.

New Image Media photo

Brian Sears drove See You At Peelers to a 1:50.3 score in her Fan Hanover elimination on June 11.

For her career, See You At Peelers has won $899,203 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Jim Fielding. Her wins include last year’s Breeders Crown and New York Sire Stakes championship. She received the Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old filly pacer from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

Takter and Sears teamed to win the 2005 Fan Hanover with Cabrini Hanover. See You At Peelers will start the Fan Hanover from post No. 4 and is the 3-5 morning line favorite.

“I don’t know how it’s going to set up, but I’m going to race her with confidence,” Sears said. “I feel pretty good going in.”

“It’s a horserace and they can all be beat,” he added, referring to See You At Peelers’ unbeaten streak. “It could have happened last week, it could happen this week. It is what it is. But I’m not going to be afraid that she’s going to get beat and not want to drive her. I’ll take that chance.”

The Fan Hanover Stakes is named in honor of the 1981 Horse of the Year. Fan Hanover’s accomplishments that year included being the only filly to ever win the prestigious Little Brown Jug. Takter has said See You At Peelers could attempt racing against the boys in this season’s Jug, which is in September at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio.

“If she’s up for it and we decide to go to Delaware, I don’t think I want to go to the Jugette,” Tatker said, referring to the Jug’s companion race for fillies. “It’s too hard of racing for little money if you potentially have to race three heats. If she goes, she will race against the colts. Otherwise, I’ll stay in New York and race her in the New York Sires Stakes.”

Sears thinks, if all goes well, See You At Peelers could have an advantage by the time the Jug arrives on the schedule.

“If she can beat the fillies in hand and not be maxed out; these colts, nobody is going to steal one,” Sears said. “If they’re beat up come Jug time, which they probably will be, she might be pretty fresh.”

Of course, that is a long way down the road.

“First thing, we have to win this week,” Sears said.

Following is the field for Saturday’s C$601,000 Fan Hanover Stakes at Mohawk, with listed drivers and trainers. The connections of elimination winners See You At Peelers, Krispy Apple, and Whats New Pussycat got to pick their post positions; the remainder of the field was drawn. 1. Camille, Jason Brewer, Rodney Duford; 2. Krispy Apple, Tim Tetrick, Mark Kesmodel; 3. Whats New Pussycat, Randy Waples, Nick Surick; 4. See You At Peelers, Brian Sears, Jimmy Takter; 5. Shyaway, Scott Zeron, Chris Ryder; 6. Athenas Legacy, Jody Jamieson, George McClure; 7. Monkey On My Wheel, Rick Zeron, Travis Umphrey; 8. Pretty Katherine, Brett Miller, Casie Coleman; 9. Live Inspired, Montrell Teague, Brenda Teague; 10. Idyllic, David Miller, Casie Coleman.