by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — Pinkman (Yannick Gingras) became harness racing’s newest millionaire when he won the $157,250 first division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial for 3-year-old trotting colts at The Meadowlands on Saturday (July 18) in 1:52.2.

Habitat (Brian Sears) was second and Canepa Hanover (Jimmy Takter) was third in the prep for the Aug. 8 Hambletonian.

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Pinkman became harness racing’s newest millionaire when he won the $157,250 first division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial in 1:52.2.

Pinkman is owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland and Herb Liverman and is trained by Jimmy Takter. The son of Explosive Matter-Margie Seelster posted his 11th win in 14 lifetime starts, lifting his career bankroll to $1,002,925.

Habitat left the gate with authority, quickly crossing over to the rail and commanding the lead to the :27.4 quarter. Just past that marker, Pinkman was out to challenge and went by the leader. He trotted on to the :57 half and 1:25.2 three-quarters and the field went with him, until they started for the homestretch, when Canepa Hanover and Takter were up to challenge on the outside and Habitat tried to scoot up the rail to his left.

Despite pressure all the way down the stretch, when the wire came up, Pinkman had held for the win by a neck and Habitat made up enough ground on the inside for the place. Canepa Hanover was third on the outside.

“All three of them (the top finishers) are top colts, but I got everything my way and my colt was really strong,” said Gingras. “I had to play with him a little bit in the stretch, make him do his job but he had so much more. It’s a great card and I’ve got great horses to drive.”

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The Bank won the second Stanley Dancer division in a lifetime best mile of 1:50.4.

In the waning seconds of daylight at The Meadowlands, The Bank (Jimmy Takter) won the $159,750 second Stanley Dancer Memorial race by a length in a time of 1:50.4. The Bank is eligible to the Aug. 8 Hambletonian, as were all the starters except fifth place finisher Crazy Wow.

The Bank (Donato Hanover-Lantern Kronos) is owned by Christina Takter and Goran Falk. He was a winner for the fourth time in 17 lifetime starts, with $275,701 in purse earnings.

Donatomite (Trond Smedshammer) was first to the lead off the gate and got to the quarter in :26.3 before The Bank and Takter trotted past them to the lead and held it to the :54.2 half.

Past the 1:22.3 three-quarters, Crazy Wow and Brian Sears ranged up on the outside to briefly get a nose in front of The Bank, but by the time the field was in the homestretch, that one was repelled and Takter was looking over his right shoulder for more comers.

Centurin ATM (Ake Svanstedt), who made a break just before the half, circled the field on the outside to trot strongly down the lane and finish second. French Laundry (Brett Miller) was third, Donotomite was fourth and Crazy Wow fifth. Whom Shall I Fear, the $475,000 yearling purchase in 2013 and brother of Father Patrick, was sixth.

“I’m especially really happy because the horse is owned by a very good friend of mine in Sweden, Goran Falk, he’s sitting and watching this,” said Takter. “We had so much fun with (this colt’s mother) Lantern Kronos. I drove most of her races as a 3-year-old. This is a nice colt and it took a little while for him to start winning. This was a hard race, hard opening and he still held on very well.

“Pinkman is more laid back horse, he felt like he had everything under control. I was very happy with Canepa. He hadn’t raced in a month. He’s definitely going to get better.”

Takter said after the race that he’s considering racing at least some of his Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks horses in the Zweig Memorial at Vernon Downs on July 26.