by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

2011 Peelers Qualifier at Freehold from USTA on Vimeo.

Freehold, NJ — See You At Peelers returned to the racetrack Friday (Oct. 14), winning a qualifier in 1:54.1 at Freehold Raceway, and trainer Jimmy Takter is optimistic the star 3-year-old filly pacer could race again soon.

See You At Peelers, who won the first 22 races of her career, was scratched from a New York Sire Stakes race on Sept. 19 at Yonkers Raceway because of a virus that caused heart and lung issues. She last raced on Sept. 4 at Tioga Downs, where she won but was placed second for interference in the stretch.

USTA/Ellen Harvey photo

See You At Peelers was a 1:54.1 winner in a Friday morning qualifier at Freehold Raceway.

In Friday’s qualifier, See You At Peelers raced wearing a heart monitor. She was forced wide going to the first quarter, but led through fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.2 for driver Marcus Johansson.

“I think she did a very good qualifier,” Takter said. “Marcus was very pleased with the way she felt. He said it felt like she had at least a second left in the tank. We’re waiting for the report back from the heart specialist to make sure everything was clear.”

Takter expected to talk to the heart specialist by Friday evening. The monitor recorded data about See You At Peelers’ heartbeat during the mile and the information was to be analyzed following the race. The initial report was favorable.

“From what they could see, there was nothing wrong with it,” Takter said.

Takter was uncertain about See You At Peelers’ future, although he plans to race the filly again this season. The Breeders Crown, which begins next weekend with eliminations at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto and concludes with the finals on Oct. 29, appears to be a long shot.

“Probably not, but I don’t know,” Takter said. “It’s very optimistic to go up there, and maybe not fair to her to do that eight days from today. It’s something I really have to think twice about.”

Another scenario would have See You At Peelers race in an overnight and then go to Yonkers for the Messenger or Lady Maud in early November. See You At Peelers is eligible to the Lady Maud, for 3-year-old filly pacers, which also makes her eligible to the Messenger, which is a 3-year-old open stakes.

“It is possible we go there instead,” Takter said.

See You At Peelers’ 22-race win streak, which ended on Aug. 29 with a sixth-place finish from post No. 9 in the Nadia Lobell Stakes at The Meadows, was harness racing’s fourth longest in the U.S. over the last 20 years and done against primarily stakes competition. She has won 22 of 24 career races and earned $1.49 million for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Jim Fielding.

The filly, by Bettor’s Delight out of West Side Glory, was bred by the Takters.

As Takter watched See You At Peelers cool out following Friday’s qualifier, he smiled and said in admiration, “She is a special filly.”