by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Jimmy Takter will send three horses into Saturday’s (July 10) $573,770 Yonkers Trot at Yonkers Raceway, but that’s just part of his busy stakes Saturday at the races. In addition to seeing Senor Glide, Hard Livin and On The Tab compete in the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, Takter will have Costa Rica in the Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers and — across the Hudson River in New Jersey — Rockin Image in the eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace.

Of course, busy summer days are nothing new for Takter. Last week, Takter’s stable won both divisions of the Historic-Harriman Cup for 2-year-old male trotters (with Zooming and Leader Of The Gang) and both divisions of the Historic-Goshen Cup for 2-year-old male pacers (with Grams Legacy and Rollwithitharry).

Rockin Image, who is Takter’s entry in this weekend’s Meadowlands Pace elims, won a division of the Historic-Jersey Cup for 3-year-old male pacers while Senor Glide and Hard Livin won their Yonkers Trot elimination races.

Takter also hit the board with four horses in other Historic Series races at the Meadowlands: Capri Hanover and So Perfect in divisions of the Debutante, Muscle Massive in the Dickerson Cup and Global Desire in the Acorn Stakes.

USTA photo

It will be a busy weekend for trainer Jimmy Takter, who starts three horses in the Yonkers Trot.

“Everything has been going great,” said Takter, whose stable in 2009 won $6.2 million in purses, which was good for third place among all trainers in North America. “There are a lot of big races coming up in the next 30 days, so it looks exciting.”

However, even though Takter was piling up wins last week, it was a difficult time away from the track. Takter’s son-in-law, Marcus Johansson, was involved in a driving accident at the Meadowlands during July 1 baby races and required emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen. Johansson, who Takter called, “my first man,” is married to Takter’s daughter, Nancy.

“It was very tough for us,” Takter said. “He’s doing better now, but at one point it looked like he might not be with us. He’s my son-in-law; he’s family. (Nancy) is working for me, too, and she went through a tough time here. It was very difficult.

“But the show still goes on.”

Takter, who has 50 horses racing, credited his staff for the stable’s success. Takter has 34 wins and $1 million so far this season.

“Everybody knows I expect the best, no matter what,” he said. “The crew stepped up big time. We’ve got to keep going and dig in and work harder. I’ve got a good crew and that’s the key.”

Tom Berg photo

Hard Livin was a 1:59.2 winner in his Yonkers trot elimination with Takter in the sulky.

Hard Livin was second to Pilgrims Taj in last year’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final and earned $210,558 for the season. He was troubled by a quarter crack in May’s Dexter Cup elimination, where he went off stride and finished eighth, but has three wins and a second-place finish among his last five starts. He won his Yonkers Trot elim by three-quarters of a length over stablemate On The Tab in 1:59.2.

“He has been racing good in Pennsylvania,” Takter said. “He lives up to his name. He can race tough.”

On The Tab is winless in seven races this year, but has finished second on six occasions.

Takter was uncertain of the trio’s future after the Yonkers Trot. The second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, the Hambletonian, is August 7 at the Meadowlands.

“It’s hard to say whether they are Hambletonian level horses yet,” Takter said. “Of the horses I have in the Yonkers Trot, I think Senor Glide probably has the most potential to race maybe in the Hambletonian.”

Hudson Filly: Costa Rica, who won 10 of 16 races and earned $970,126 last year, led her Hudson Filly Trot elimination race from the start, but got beat in the final strides by Spicy Wings in 1:59.

“I think Ronnie (driver Ron Pierce) fell a little bit asleep there; that’s what he said,” Takter said. “He didn’t see the horse coming on the outside. I think she should race good on Saturday, too. We kind of pointed her to this race. I try to avoid racing her on big tracks. She’s not that big of a filly and I try to pick my spots with her. By doing that, I think I can have a good season with her.”

Costa Rica’s wins last season included the Goldsmith Maid, Peaceful Way and New Jersey Sire Stakes championship. She was second in the Merrie Annabelle. This year, she has one win in three starts.

“It’s better to manage her and not be greedy,” Takter said. “I’m fortunate to have quite a few horses, so it keeps me busy enough. If she was the only one, maybe you would be more aggressive. These horses, if you win one or two of the big ones, you have a good season. It’s possible she races in the (Hambletonian Oaks).”

Meadowlands Pace: Rockin Image finished sixth in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final on May 29, then had surgery to correct a breathing problem and was out of action (other than one qualifier) until the Jersey Cup on July 3. His 1:48.2 effort, winning by 1-1/2 lengths over Nova Artist, pleased Takter.

“It was a tremendous start,” Takter said. “I’m hopeful. I know (the Meadowlands Pace) is a tough race. The race has got to go our way, but ability wise I know he can race with these horses. I know he can beat these horses. You’ve just got to be a little lucky and have the race go your way. It’s a very compatible group. I could see five or six different horses winning that race. I’m happy I have a horse to put into it. Hopefully he can make the final and we’ll go from there.”

Rockin Image has won one of four races this year after notching three victories in eight starts last season. He has earned $314,043 in his career for owner Lothlorien stable. His is a son of Rocknroll Hanover, out of Kikikatie (who was the 2003 2-year-old filly division champion). Grams Legacy, who won one of last week’s Goshen Cup divisions, is a full brother to Rockin Image.

Last year, Rockin Image won divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes.

“Ability and gait wise, pedigree, the whole package is there,” Takter said. “If he can breathe good, he’s going to be right there. I think he stamped himself last year.”